LORD SHEN STRIKES BACK
by Fanficteller
Summary: Po leaves early from the Jade Palace to investigate the recent but oddly non-hostile wolf activity inside of their borders. Po encounters a legion of enemies while trying to return to Jade Palace to warn the others about the old enemy, who has inexplicably returned and seeks revenge on one certain panda and everyone in the Jade Palace.
1. 1: Morning at the Valley of Peace

**My very first fanfiction for Kung Fu Panda. ENJOY!**

 **I don't own Kung Fu Panda. DreamWorks owns it.**

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 **CHAPTER 1: MORNING AT VALLEY OF PEACE**

" _The last couple years, after general Kai's defeat, I've been working so hard to be a good teacher like master Shifu, but only my own way, and teach even more the secrets of Kung Fu to my panda family. But sometimes, even the high skilled teacher and legendary warrior like me needs the break._ "

" _Well, even though this can't be called as a break._ "

(A violent thunderstorm rages on the sky as soaking wet panda Po was standing in the defensive position in the middle of the open area in the bamboo woods, surrounded by the large group of armed bandits, with in the storm's darkness glowing blood-red eyes and armed with the long serpentine-bladed and the flame-shaped swords.)

" _At this beautiful morning, which had now turned into this violent thunderstorm, I left from the Jade Palace for some walk, or more likely for some investigation, to the Valley's bamboo woods to catch some fresh air, only to find myself surrounded by the group of two dozen nasty bandits._ "

" _And not just any bandits… but the pack of wolves._ "

" _And as I said earlier, I came here more likely to investigate... and I just crossed my path with the reason why I came here in the first place._ "

" _There's been lately a lots of both reports and_ _observations about the wolf activity inside of the borders of the Valley of Peace, but just in the forms of the small packs at times... too small packs to attack to our villages or villagers."_

" _Still, me and the Furious Five have been lately kept an eye on them, just in case._ "

" _But these wolves, however, were not just any wolf-bandits."_

" _These wolves were carrying with pride the symbol of the blood-red Flaming Red Sun as tattoo in their chest armors._ "

" _Blood-red Flaming Red Sun, that seemed more than just a familiar._ "

" _And no wonder if it does, because it is the symbol of my most dangerous archenemy, Lord Shen, who's now dead after my and his very last duel in his damaged flagship back in the harbor of the Gongmen City several years ago._ ""

" _This was odd, I though that Lord Shen's wolves were either imprisoned, banished, or even executed by Gongmen City's Kung Fu Council for their crimes after Shen's defeat."_

" _Even though these might be what's left from his mighty wolf army, it's strange and the wolf clan under Shen's symbol was still in active even though their evil master is gone for good._ "

" _However, whatever they're up to this time and whatever they're doing here anyway, they don't seem to have learned the last time one thing..."_

" _NEVER MESS WITH THE DRAGON WARRIOR!"_

" _In fact, I'm a quite bored now, due of these wolves being still around. Maybe it's time to give them some a little remedial teaching._ "

(Some wolves suddenly backs off, making the way to the huge dark-blue furred gorilla, one of the many of those whom had served Lord Shen in his army. He had the same blood-red Flaming Red Sun tattoo on his shoulders and one in his chest.)

(With the challenging manners, the gorilla prepared himself for the duel against Po, and the wolves formed the ring around of them.)

" _Well, seemingly this is not gonna be an easy day for me._ "

" _Luckily master Shifu has told me how to act in such of situations like this... I just needed to breath nice and slowly and stay calm when I have to fight some enemies, who're bigger than me myself, for example the rogue elephants and gorillas."_

" _Well, now was one of those times."_

" _Shifu had also taught me to remain silent and let my moves directing instincts and senses to take over my mind and body, so that I could be able to block any attack my enemies would launch upon me... and that if I'm careless with my instincts and senses, I would pay for it with my life._ "

" _Training myself hard by following Shifu's teachings lately, I've learned to hold my ground longer, even against Tigress, the strongest of the Furious Five, and after mastering this new tactic, I've not lost my several training matches with Tigress anymore as often... or at least not so easily._ "

" _But now, I hope that it's enough against this gorilla dude's incoming attacks in today's duel._ "

" _It was time to find out who's tougher. The panda, alias me, or big bad primate._ "

" _But of course, Master Shifu has told me do not be too overconfident against my upcoming opponents. Because even though I've defeated three the greatest maniacs of the China, I had on my side my panda-style of Kung Fu, the numerous usable materials around of me and my quickly learned mastery of Inner Peace and Chi and a lots of luck, which of necessity will not last forever._ "

" _However, even though I'm not overconfident even now, I still trust in my luck now and in the future._ "

(Po stretches out his arm and signals with his paw for the gorilla come and fight, panda to giant ape.)

" _Alright, here we go then. SKADOOSH!_ "

(Po leaps into the attack and gorilla, answering to Po's "war cry with loud roar, lunges straight at him as the fierce thunderstorm and the dense lighting of the stormy sky gets even more violent above of them.)

 **Earlier today...**

SHIFU'S POV

I was meditating peacefully in my inner peace front of the re-carved statue of my great master Oogway in the next of the rebuilt Jade Palace. Both Oogway's statue and the Jade Palace were destroyed two years ago by the vengeful and powerful spirit warrior from the past, Kai, in order to destroy Oogway's legacy, before he was stopped and defeated by the Dragon Warrior and now the teacher, Po the panda.

Now, the palace and Oogway's statue were returned back to their glory and the peace was returned upon of these lands.

I usually spent my time by meditating through the whole night, until the dawn was starting to break.

Sun was not yet risen from behind of the mountains, but it started slowly light up the sky above of the Valley.

I breathed a deep of fresh morning air into my nose.

It was beautiful day upcoming over the Valley of Peace and the Jade Palace.

It was so peaceful and quiet…

Maybe a bit too quiet.

I was a bit expecting Po to be awake and up from the bed, and I also expected to have a short discuss with him before the sound the gong and ready to take Furious Five to Training Hall for today's lesson, as the sun started to rise from behind of the mountains.

However, Po was nowhere to be seen.

"Ugh! Did he oversleep once again?" I asked from myself out of frustration.

With reluctance, I broke my meditation and heading towards the barracks to force that panda out of the bed.

I had to move quietly in the barrack's corridors when the Five were slumbering in their rooms, but mentally they all waited for the sound of gong as sign for them to get up from the beds and get to the train hall ready for today's lesson.

And ss the sun slowly raised in the outside, its rays casts sleeping Crane's and on top of his own tail meditating Monkey's shadows to the wall. I heard also slumbering Viper's hissing and Mantis quiet buzzing from the opposite rooms.

But what made me pleased was the hear a purring sound of still slumbering Tigress from her room opposite of Po's room.

I remember well those times long before Po's sudden and unexpected arrival, when I sounded every morning the gong and harshly ordered my students to get ready for the lesson of the day. Tigress was from all of them the one who from her childhood to her adulthood obeyed with loyalty, daughter's love and without the question the rules of the Jade Palace while training long and hard under of my teaching, and just trying desperately to prove her worthiness to me… and I did never showed to even her my approval to her talents neither that true father's love from a good adoptive father as I did with Tai Lung before…

Well, those were just the bad haunting memories I've put in the past long time ago, and thanks to Po for it.

Tigress' purring sounds of slumber almost made me to pay a quick visit in my adoptive daughter's room to watch her while she was sleeping.

However, I quickly changed my mind, not wanting to disturb her slumber until the sound of gong and I headed to Po's room.

"Po, get up you…!" I was immediately cut off by the sight I saw when I stormed inside of Po's room to force him up.

His bed was empty?

"Where is that panda right now?" I asked from myself and I quietly exited from the barracks.

I then turned to the Training Hall and went to check our training area to see that was Po there already.

And it seemed to be obvious as the doors of the Training Yard were and were left to open.

I of course had told to Po that the doors of the Training Yard and Hall should never be left open, but they were supposed to be close through the night in case if the bandits would dare to sneak on top of the Jade Mountain.

However, once I stepped into the Training Yard through of the doors, I found the space of the yard empty and yet awkwardly silent... and even the doors of the Training Yard were left open as well... and they were still slightly moving like somebody had just entered through of them into the Hall.

With Master Oogway's staff in my hands and in the defensive position, I went to investigate the Training Yard.

But when I entered into the Hall, I found it all dark, silent and empty.

There was no trace about anyone's presence here during of the nighttime.

But when I walked outside of the Training Hall, I saw that there was someone standing still at the edge of the stone porch in front of the Jade Palace.

It was probably the intruder, or maybe even a bandit, who knows, who had dared to intrude to the top of the Jade Mountain.

So, I quickly exited from the Training Yard, after which I crossed the Jade Mountain's narrow but deep chasm by going through of the stone bridge built over it and rushed through of the Garden of the Masters, before I reached to the stone stairs, leading pass of Oogway's statue and to the stone porch of the Jade Palace, where the intruder was apparently still standing.

And at the last part of the stairs, I took support from Oogway's staff as I struck its another end to the ground and bounced upwards into the air and flied in arch over the last part of the stairs, after which I landed to the ground outside of the yard and took defensive position against whoever was standing in the porch of Jade Palace and against me.

However, I soon realized who was standing in the edge of the porch.

It was Po, standing in the edge of the One Thousand Steps!

The panda had dressed into the hooded cape and he was standing silently still while staring down to the valley.

I don't know how long Po has been standing here alone, nor the fact that how he had ever got pass of me to the porch of the Jade Palace without being detected by me. As I know that Po's stealth mode needed still training, I should have heard him coming by listening his soft steps in the steps of the stairs pass of Oogway's statue. Maybe I was too focused to my meditation that I didn't heard him coming or else Po's stealth mode and silence has been developed to the level that he's able to move silently and undetected like any warrior should have if needed.

That hooded cape he was wearing over himself told me that Po had something in his mind, once again, instead of the traditional ways of the Jade Palace.

And after such of realization, I quickly calmed myself and walked to next of him.

"Po, what are you doing here? I though you were gonna prepare yourself to take Furious Five and the pandas for today's lesson."

Po turned to me with the nod. And when he did, I could not only see but also sense his quite worrying feeling from his worried expression.

"Yes, master Shifu. I guess I was supposed to. But I was just thinking..." He said humbly to me.

"And what you were thinking, Dragon Warrior?" I asked from him, giving him the all time he needed to explain to me.

"Just… got the strange feeling, Master Shifu. These lately wolf activity inside of the borders of the Valley of Peace. Even though they've not yet attacked to the village and they've been a quite quiet, I'm sensing that something bad is coming to this Valley. Something really bad. I don't know what it is but I don't like that feeling. I already heard the wolves howls the last night. This time, too close of the village, nearly on the village's edge. I believe that something must to be done with this late activity, not anymore keeping an eye on it, before it becomes certainly a big threat for the Valley and to villagers." Po said.

Yes, I've already heard from the goose scouts that there has been lately wolf activity. They have been seen moving in the small packs in the bamboo woods inside of the borders of the Valley of Peace. These wolves happened to be the same wolves, who long time ago served evil peacock Lord Shen, when he tried to destroy Kung Fu with his superior weapons.

Some of them had probably survived from the fierce battle in the river and harbor of the Gongmen City. even though I thought that all survivors from Shen's wolf army were captured and sentenced to either exile or executed for their crimes against citizens of Gongmen City and Kung Fu, but some of them seems to have somehow managed to escape that fate to the woods.

I ordered Po and the Five to get rid of these wolves since I got the first reports from my goose scouts about these wolves. However, even over dozen wolf-packs had been kicked outside of the Valley's borders, the wolf packs are only kept coming and intruding to the Valley's woods.

However, fortunately for the villagers for now, there has not been reported from any wolf attacks to the village, so I changed my order to Po and to Five to keep an eye of these wolves just in case,

However, I was more than just pleased of seeing Po showing his seriousness and sense of responsibility.

"I like your seriousness and sense of responsibility, Po. And I hardly even expected such of talents coming that way from the panda like you."

Po turned to me with a a bit scolding look on his face.

My words probably reminded him about those two days after he was chosen as the Dragon Warrior by Master Oogway, and was during of two following days treated like a practice dummy and as the target of the mockings, insults, humiliation and scoldings by Furious Five and me, when we tried to get rid of him, stubbornly refusing to believe and accept him as Dragon Warrior.

Well, now when we've accepted him as one of us many years ago, those times were just the memories which everyone wanted to forget.

And also, Po probably was mentally asking from me that haven't I already seen him this serious, worrying and responsible ever before, especially at the times when it was about to stop three the big threats of China.

So, I pulled myself back in this case and I returned to the issue.

"So, you're planning to go to investigate for while instead of teaching Five this morning?" I asked from him, though I already knew how he was gonna answer.

Po nodded, even though he was rather surprised that I somehow found out his today's plans.

"Yes, Shifu. At least half of the time of daylight. I'll be back in mid-afternoon." He answered.

I nodded as agreement.

"So be it, but remember to be back in time as you said yourself. The poor student might be every time late from the lessons, but that's very unexpected and unacceptable from the master and teacher himself to be late from the lesson of the day when the students needs it."

Po was then about to leave to the valley, until I spoke yet again.

"And because I want you to be back in the Jade Palace in time to teach Furious Five and your panda students, you're allowed to investigate the area of the Valley's borders only the inside of the borders." I said.

I saw how this slightly frustrated Po, even without seeing his hidden expression on his face, because he knew that because of my orders he would never find out what was bothering him after he sensed "something bad" being on the way to the Valley of Peace behind of their backs if he was only allowed by me to investigate only the area inside of the borders of the Valley.

Well, Po however had a deep respect for his master's orders.

"Alright, master Shifu. I will obey you, but still this recent wolf activity inside of our borders and those wolves carrying with the pride the Lord Shen's symbol is bothering me greatly and that order restricts my chances to check them out from closely and find out that what is that "something bad" what I've been sensing for while and being coming on its way right to our direction."

"Besides, I'm starting to get tired of keeping an eye of these wolves instead of trying to drive them outside of our borders. I'm even now hungry for some cool action, master." He said, squeezing his paws into fists and taking really serious and burning look on his face when he mentioned Lord Shen's name

I took the frustrated expression on his face.

"I don't know how important it is to you to find out what is this "something bad" which is haunting you, Po. And speaking of action, even the title of the Dragon Warrior, your panda style of Kung Fu and your… my pre-apologies for this… overly chubby body shape against the nerve attacks and many other attacks doesn't make even you completely proof against the everything. And the lonely warrior, even the Dragon Warrior, can be sometimes outnumbered, overwhelmed and even defenseless in middle of the great number of enemies." I said.

"And remember especially this one, that if we're going to have chance against our foes, let it be either the group of bandit, rogue Kung Fu warrior or even a very big threat to the Kung Fu itself and the whole China, we need to always act together as a team, not as a rash individuals. That's why I forbid you to to engage the wolves into the battle, if their packs grows too great by numbers for you to defeat. You understand me?"

Po turned back to me and nodded with the respective look.

"I understand, master Shifu. And I know that I'm not proof to everything and not completely unbeatable. I've knew it already since my duels with Tai Lung and Kai... and back in the Gongmen City when I had to rescue my friends from Lord Shen and his army when he almost completed his plans to conquer the china." He said.

"And speaking of which, about Lord Shen and these wolves with his symbol tattoo. This recent wolf activity inside of our borders makes me a curious of these late events since the first sighting of the wolf activity. There's not been attacks to the village and the packs are quite small for such of attacks. They just wander in the bamboo woods caring nothing about the innocent villagers, leaving them alone in every encounter. So, here's my question; When Lord Shen is gone for good, what are his remained wolves up to... and what they are even doing in the Valley of Peace?"

I put Oogway's staff to vertical position next to Po and jumped on top of it so that I was in the level of Po's head. I then gently landed my hand on his shoulder to calm him down from his worries.

"Be patient, Dragon Warrior. Because I'm also worried to which this wolf activity would lead and I've been meditated to find the reason to it and solution to reduce it." I said, calming our panda master down.

"Besides, I've feeling that we're gonna find the reason to this activity all too soon." I added, as I jumped off from top of the staff, landing to the ground and I started to walk towards the stairs leading away from the stone porch of the Jade Palace.

Suddenly, my instincts told me to stop and turn around to Po, so that I can say something more to him, but when I did so, I saw that Po had already left.

However, I took a proud smile on my face, because his training under of my teachings had served him well by making him almost silent warrior with ability to vanish without a sound or trace, despite him being a big and sometimes loud and clumsy panda.

And the best part of it is that how quick Po is able to learn and develop himself even within of so short time, just like during of those days when I trained him before his first duel with Tai Lung.

"Pandas. Sometimes I really don't understand how they can be the only ones from all beings who are capable to learn surprisingly quickly the arts, the secrets and techniques of Kung Fu within such of short of time." I muttered to myself.

Then I returned to the training yard.

 **TO BE CONTINUED…**


	2. 2: First encounter with the wolves

**CHAPTER 2: FIRST ENCOUNTER WITH WOLVES  
**

PO'S POV

After I left from Jade Palace's stairs, with the hood over my head, I ran through of still slumbering village, not paying the visit this time on my goose father noodle restaurant because he was either sleeping or then he was packing some stuff for me as always he does.

This time I needed to move quick and in silence. Backpack full of food food for him and and cooking supplies packed by my father would have only slow me down, not to mention keeping a loud noise while moving in the bamboo forests.

Of course, I did not wanted to offend his father's feelings but I had to this time.

I ran as fast as I could… or more likely, as fast as I was able to run before getting tired with my panda legs… through the bamboo woods and the rocky hills.

And soon as I was outside of the village and entered into the bamboo woods, I started to search some clues about the wolf packs for next couple hours, but I found nothing about their presence… especially when I was inside of the Valley of Peace's area.

I had the deep urge to go outside of the borders but I couldn't, as I'd promised to Shifu to return back the Jade Palace in time we were agreed.

I searched and switched the area. I searched and switched the area again. I searched and switched the area yet again. I searched and switched the area one more time and still nothing about the wolves.

Maybe the wolves just ran off some time ago from these lands, but I doubted that it was not so.

However, I found it out soon after another couple hours of searching.

As I was running on the rocks, I soon sensed out of nowhere that I was secretly followed by someone... or someones (or then I knew so because I heard some lupine-like growls and the running steps right behind of me.)

I also sensed quickly that someone lunged at me for attack.

I quickly jumped up, turned around in the air and lunged my right foot forwards, kicking the attacker to the head in the air.

The attacker let out the loud yelp from my kick to his face and landed against the rock, that knocked him unconscious.

I landed on my feet to the ground after my counter-attack, after which I took into my paws the bo-staff made from a strong bamboo-wood, which I briefly spun in both of my paws in front of me, before I pulled the staff behind of my back and extended my paw forward, as I settled myself into the self-defense position.

The staff in my possession wasn't the regular staff, even though it had been made out of amber-colored and gold dyed bamboo, which both ends had been curved/shaped to resemble with the gold dyed heads of the chinese dragons with all details and with their mouths open. In fact, the staff's appearance resembled closely away from each others flying dragons, which golden and partially waving bodies tails were linked from their tails to each others in the middle of the staff.

This staff was given to me by master Shifu and Furious Five as my birthday present a several months ago, seeing that the Dragon Warrior like me is worthy of such of fine weapon. Master Shifu had also designed a weapon to change to three or four different weapons whenever I need them. It seems to have mostly the form of an usual bo-staff, but it can be formed into the three-section-staff... or... it can be also separated from the middle into two parts, which can turn into gusari gamas, thanks to beneath of the dragon-headed end hidden long chain and into the staved hidden curved blades. Or then, I can use these two separated parts like a non-deadly clubs or swords. Way to cool!

Then I faced three wolves, who had secretly followed me, approaching me.

I growled in anger after I saw Lord Shen's symbol as a tattoo in the wolves chests, which told me that I found the wolf buddies I was looking for.

The wolves, with their long and either serpentine- or flame-like swords in their paws, took the fight-ready position ready to attack me after sensing a good opportunity. All of their glowing blood-red eyes were targeted at me.

For the five minutes, nobody of four of us moved a muscle to attack.

Wolves only just stared at me.

And I stared pack at the wolves, waiting for any possible attack towards him.

Nothing happened.

Then I heard something approaching me from behind and I turned around to see what was there behind of my back.

I spotted then seven newly arrived wolves in the edge of the cliff above of me.

The wolves had the swords as well as the first ones I was right now facing, but they wielded the longbows as their primary weapons instead of the swords like the first ones. Angrily growling at me, they all lifted their bows up and targeted their black arrows at my back while three first one wolves cut off escape ways.

"By my fat." I muttered when I found himself surrounded.

Quickly I checked all around to find some way to escape from this.

I even considered for a moment jumping off the cliff, but NO. There was no protective landing river bellow of the cliff and the fall was too high and long. Crane was not here right now to make sure I would not get hurt or worse by fall, so I had to think about something else.

I also considered fighting back against these wolves. Less than dozen of them against me was too easy for m,e but the wolves with the longbows behind of my back would turn the tide easily by the very dark way, even though I was trained by Master Shifu to defend myself against the arrow attacks targeted at me after I nearly got killed by them when I and the Five fend off the wolf raiders when they attacked to a village of musicians at the mountain cliffs for all metal. The lesson of dodge or fend off the arrows wasn't easy and the consequences were ten times more painful than Mantis' acupuncture.

Then I turned my attention to the bamboo trees nearby.

If I could reach them, I could use both of my weight plus my jumping strength to catapult myself out of here.

Risk to get shot by the arrows was quite great, but without another choice, I was ready to take it.

I made quickly and unexpectedly to the wolves a high jump over of the wolves, surprising the ones using the bows and three others.

Only three of them quickly recovered and fired they arrows at me.

I narrowly managed to dodge some of them or then I defend myself by hitting them off their flight with my bamboo staff.

Before my jump, I spotted the wolf I had knocked out earlier. The wolf had returned to his consciousness and was about to climb back on its feet, so I had directed my jump towards of this one and I landed on its back, jumping from the wolf's back, knocking him again back into unconscious in the process, and after the long and arch-shaped flight I landed some distance away from the wolves.

Once I landed, I started to run towards the bamboo trees as fast as my panda feet could carry me, the angered pack chasing right behind of my back in all fours.

At least three of them managed to reach at me, when I was in the halfway from the trees.

First one wolf lunged at me, but with the fiery strike with the dragon-headed end of my bo-staff, I quickly knocked the wolf unconscious and it fell to the ground from the air.

When another one attacked me, I turned around and kicked alternately with both of my legs the second wolf to its head and stomach, sending the wolf to fly over of the wolf's fellow comrades.

"HA HAA! Two with one!" I cheered humorously before I continued running.

Then I quickly jumped as one or two of the wolves nearly cut me in half with their sword.

Before either of them could react, I landed my butt ahead over of the first wolf, burying him under of my weight before I quickly jumped back on my feet and sent another wolf to fly aside by knocking him with my belly-gong attack against the another rock.

Remaining wolves started to shoot their arrows at me. I barely dodged or hit them off from the flight with my staff while I kept moving to the trees.

Then, with the supporting help from my staff, I made the high jump towards the trees, and when I flied against one of them, hmy weight helped me to bend bamboo tree's upside down enough to launch me far away from the wolves grip.

But I had no time to make the right direction where the tree was supposed to launch me, due of wolves getting too close of me again. So, I had to allow the tree to launch me to wherever but far away from here.

"Bye bye, guys. I would love to show you more cool moves I've learned since our last meet, but time is running, so I must be flying." I said to the wolves humorously.

Then I lightened his weight above of the bamboo tree by making a jump and the bamboo tree launched at the same time me far away from the angered wolves grip.

"YAHOO!" I yelled in joy as I flied over the bamboo woods.

I loved flying. Even though the flying in the mortal realm wasn't quite similar and long lasting than what I experienced back in the Spirit Realm in the giant golden dragon form of my Chi, I still enjoyed, but I greatly hated that moment when I had to land to the ground, which wasn't quite easy and painless.

 **TO BE CONTINUED…**


	3. 3: Training Hall

**CHAPTER 3: TRAINING HALL  
**

TIGRESS POV

It was odd to me that instead of Po, master Shifu had took the full responsibilities as a teacher this morning to teach me, rest of the Furious Five and even several pandas of Po's panda folk such as Li Shan, Mei Mei, Dim & Sum and even little Bao.

I was training in the training yard's corner self-defense in all directions at the same time by rapidly punching and kicking four the wooden dummies hanging in the chains one in each side of me. As I've already told Po a long time ago during of our trip to Gongmen City to stop Lord Shen from conquering the China, that I used to punch my fists to Jade palace's iron woods during of my training before I met him. Even though these wooden dummies were thick and hard surface, for me, they were as soft as usual practice dummies.

While I was training, little Lei Lei was watching with the amazed look in her face my movements from aside, while she was holding in her arms Po's action-figures of me and Mantis, which Po had given her a long time ago after Kai's defeat, to Mantis' great relief.

However, Lei Lei had no patience to stay still and aside from my training ground, but she instead walked towards me in middle of my training ground and hugged my leg, calling me as usually "Stripey Baby."

This made me to double my senses and movements while defending myself against the wooden dummies and while tossing Lei Lei in the air and switching her from paw to paw to make sure that the little panda does not accidentally get herself hurt from the dummies in the process

Monkey was training at the same time his concentration, balance and evasive maneuvers guided by the senses. And he did so by holding three-four bowls full of water in his hands and over of his head while balancing in the tips of narrow and wobbly bamboo posts, which had been set to vertical position and not attached to the ground. Monkey performed his exercise by jumping from one into upright stance settled posts to another while tossing the bowls from the hand to another and trying at the same time to keep every drop inside of the bowls, while dodging narrowly or fend off bolts, blades and shurikens threw at him by the goose staff of the Jade Palace. That was quite easy part for him.

Monkey was however so skillful that he was able to keep his balance on the top of the bamboo post, even by standing on one of his own finger. The similar to how he does with his tail in his room while meditating.

Viper was meanwhile training her speedy movements with the dummies with rotating, steel-studded wooden posts hitting them with her tail like whip and trying to evade to get hit on herself from them.

Mantis was meanwhile training his incredible strength by lifting up and tossing in the air the large log... proceeding to either crush the logs in half with the raw force or slicing them smoothly in the pieces with his claws.

Crane's training was "Sharp as a Knife," which meant that Crane was training to use his wings not only to do the "Wings of Justice" attacks but also to slash quickly and smoothly things, such of small wooden logs in half with the one swung. This was tested by him when he slashed one bamboo posts into ten pieces.

Po's father, Li Shan was sparring with the Master Shifu in the training duel with bamboo staffs on the top of the bamboo posts, while trying to keep the balance on the top of them, which was a peace of cake to master Shifu while Li Shan did his best to keep himself in balance and fight master Shifu at the same time.

Under of his son Po's teaching, Li Shan has became fierce panda with the bo-staff just like his son, but unlike Po, who has already managed to beat Shifu in the "keep-away" game many years ago as he told me, Li wasn't as successful to beat Shifu in this "Balance-And-Defense" game.

Mei Mei was training her special ability in Kung Fu with the practice dummies; her skills with the nunchucks. Under of Po's teaching, she has learned to use two nunchucks in both of her arms, and even three-section staff, ten times much tougher and more skillfully than what she did back in the secret panda village during of the Spirit Warrior Kai's attack. Also her dancing skills have been very helpful to her during of her training, and it has made her even faster with her movements. She's now so skillful warrior that she could take out down about one hundred enemies with ease, or at least she says so.

Po's cousins, Dim and Sum were training with the practice dummies training their own special ability in Kung Fu; teamwork. While one of them attacked to one practice dummy, another one of them covered his brother's back and either flank against another dummy... or... they just swung each others from the paws while delivering the attacking kicks and punches against the dummies, that resembled mine and Po's Double Death Strike technique. After Kai's defeat, it has served the brothers well against some bandits during of their attacks to the Valley of Peace. They even used some of Po's own skills against the dummies, such of mix of Double Death Strike and Feet of Fury.

They also liked to do the high jumps over of themselves before one of them delivered devastating kick at one of their practice dummies, kicking its head off from its shoulders and sending it to fly through of my personal training area.

This almost made me lost my focus and balance in the self-defense against my wooden dummies and get Lei Lei hurt, as I barely got Lei Lei's head out of the way of the swining wooden dummy before I could hit her in the back of her head, which would have lead to the possible serious consequences. After I barely gained back my focus and made sure Lei Lei didn't get hurt, I let our slight growl at those dumb pandas for the accident they almost caused.

Little Bao's own special ability and its training is based on his skills of kicking and balance. That's why he mostly trained his kicks by kicking everything which was threw towards him and at the same time trained his skills of balance using no hands.

Even panda grandma panda was involved the training, even though I and rest of the Five a bit doubted, but also feared for Grandma's well-being, that how she can train Kung Fu with us in that age of hers.

However, she was at least involved to Po's "training" back in the panda village before Kai's arrival to there and referred to herself to be what Po had taught her to be "a lethal fighting machine." At least Shifu didn't doubt that she was too old for Kung Fu, maybe because of being elder himself as well as Grandma or maybe because of seeing the power in every last one in Po's folk, even in the old ones. And I had to admit it, as a result of Po's training, Grandma Panda beat all practice dummies around of her into pieces with her "brutal strength" both amazed and impressed me a lot.

Also that "a hugger" panda was involved the training by hugging everything. Practice dummies, wooden logs, even stone pilars. During of which he did also weightlifting with the logs and rocks. Under of Po's teaching, Hugger has become so strong that he was able to crush with his bear hugs even rocks.

Ouch! I believe it's better for all of us to not hug him so tightly back right now.

Training had continued since morning and it was almost midday and the break to training. Me and the rest of Five were still on our feet and we did not even sweat during of long and hard training like that, but the pandas were panting quite deep and hard and they barely managed to stay even on their feet.

However, the pandas quickly stood up and formed into the line next to me and the rest of Five when master Shifu arrived, the proud smile on his face.

"Well done, students. From all of you. If the Dragon Warrior would have been here to see your process, he would be proud of all of you for your accomplishments, as I do. And I mean, all of you." He said with the proud smile.

Me, Five and pandas bowed respectfully to master Shifu, who bowed back at us.

Then Crane opened to speak.

"Speaking of Po, master Shifu, where is he right now?" He said. He was also confused as well as me that Po wasn't right now in the presence.

We all were a quite confused, especially Po's father and cousins, as there was no any sight of Po after the sound of gong and the time to wake up... and we were more confused that Po wasn't teaching us this morning.

Shifu, however, had told us before the training that that he's gonna teach us this morning for Po.

"Is he still in his room. Does he not feel very well right now? Is he sick?" I heard Viper saying with the worried tone.

Mantis also had his own thoughts about this.

"Or did he just overslept and forgot everything about today?" He said with a sarcastic tone.

Mantis let out a light chuckle after his sarcastically said guess, but he went quickly in complete silent after I let the small growl out of my mouth while staring at him sternly. And I wasn't the only one who stared Mantis sternly, as Viper started angrily hiss while staring angrily at Mantis direction, and also both Shifu and Li Shan gave Mantis a stern glare.

"Forget what I said." He said as he backed down.

Li then turned to master Shifu.

"I'm a bit quite worried about Po, master Shifu. Just like Viper is right now. You said that you'll teach us this morning for Po, but why? Can you at least tell us, that where's my son and why he didn't teach us this morning?" Li asked worriedly.

Master Shifu only raised his hand to silent worried panda.

"There's nothing to be worried about Po, Mr. Shan. I found him this morning from the porch of the Jade Palace before the sound of Gong. He was planning to go to investigate this recent wolf activity in the bamboo woods."

Li's eyes widened after hearing this... as well as mine own did after hearing that.

"My son went out there... even though he knew that the bamboo woods are full of those packs of wolves, who've strangely appeared inside of the borders of the Valley of Peace, and you just let him go out there, all alone, just like that?!" He shouted, not taking lightly these news.

I grew also worried about Po, especially when all of us knew that who these wolves actually were. All what remains from now-deceased Lord Shen's wolf army with the tattoo of the blood-red Flaming Sun in their chests. Their presence has already alarmed some villagers from every farm within the area of the Valley of Peace to seek refuge from the main village of the Valley in fear of being under attack by those wolves. Even though they've not "yet" attacked to any village, they still needed to be kept an eye in case.

But as one of his the most trusted allies and closest friends, I was greatly concerned about Bo's safety, because I was once or twice nearly lost him to the mercy of Lord Shen... and after that, I nearly lost him to the mercy of Kai.

Even though Po has experience of fighting against the wolves who serve and work for Lord Shen, in the large packs they would be able to overpower him easily despite Po's skills and title as Dragon Warrior.

And Lord Shen's wolves were not know for their mercy but rather their savage treatment towards the innocent and defenseless animals, especially Pandas.

They'll hunt down and kill every panda who crossed paths with them.

"He went out there investigate alone?! Why didn't you woke up me and the rest of the Five and sent us with him to investigate this recent activity, master?!" I asked, feeling at the same time a deep urge to go after him wherever he was right now.

"Yeah. Don't we usually do everything together as a team, not as rash individuals" Crane added for me.

Master Shifu only raised his hand to silent both me and Crane, before he turned back to me.

"Do not be worried, Tigress. I gave to him a direct advises to not go to investigate outside of our borders neither to engage these packs if they're too large by numbers for him to defeat. But don't worry, students. He'll be back soon at mid-afternoon and when he does, you can continue your training with him." Shifu said calmly.

I was unable to say anything else against Shifu's words. I trusted him and loved him like father and I'm honor-bound to do whatever Shifu tells me do to without the question. And if Shifu wasn't worried about Po being out there and he trusted him to obeying his advises to him, then so do I, albeit somewhat reluctantly.

I also know that Po has slowly matured to able to take care of himself and the fact that a couple or few of Lord Shen's wolves, as well as other bandits stalking out there, have no match for our advanced Po in the combat as I've seen many times over during of our life together as friends.

Shifu then dismissed all of us, telling us to have a break 'til Po's return and then Shifu headed to the Jade Palace, while me, rest of Five and Pandas headed to the barracks for some rest and food.

LI SHAN'S POV.

I didn't felt myself well, not after I learned from Shifu that what for my son had left from the Jade Palace this morning.

"I can't believe he even went after those wolves, whom bears that blood-red Flaming Sun symbol of that accursed peacock." I said.

I still remember how Lord Shen and his wolf-invaders invaded to my original panda village, slaughtering most of my people, including my wife, and burned our home to the ground. And because of that day, I know too well that how dangerous these wolves really are under that peacock, who was far more dangerous than these flea-coats and I know that these beasts does not hesitate to kill if they see any panda on their sight, even though their evil master was dead… a long time dead.

Even though master Shifu has said that we do not need to worry about Po and that the others seemed to obey his words, however, I couldn't be without worrying for my son, still fearing the worst for him, as it has been already couple years since we reunited after all of those years since we were forcefully separated from each others.

Then, Tigress, my son's best and the most loyal friend, came next to me carrying little Lei Lei cheerfully giggling and playing with my son's action figures while she was sitting on her shoulders. She landed her paw on my right shoulder to comfort me and looked at me with the gentle expression on her face.

"I'm worried about him too, Mr. Shan, but as a Dragon Warrior, Po is more than enough able to take care of himself. We must to trust to master Shifu's words that he'll returns to us in time as he told to Master Shifu. That's all what we can do right now." She said.

Tigress then continued on her way, Lei Lei on her shoulders as she walked to the barracks, leaving me on the stairs.

But still, I wasn't sure about all of this. I was still too worried.

Then, Monkey and Mantis on his shoulder came to me, but unlike Tigress, they did not stop next to me.

However, once they were standing next to me, both of them turned around to pay a brief look at the sky above of the Valley.

"Well, if he doesn't get back soon, he's gonna get soaked. That sky's looking quite angry to me." Monkey said.

"Angrier than usual. And I though that this was gonna be a beautiful day." Mantis muttered, a bit disappointed look in his faces and tone in his voice.

When they passed me, I took the look at the sky by myself.

Monkey and Crane were more than just right, as there was a huge mass of the dark clouds gathering above of the Valley of Peace, the village and the Jade Palace.

It promised a violent-looking thunderstorm's arrival.

As I watched the approaching dark clouds, hearing the thunder's deep rumble in the horizon, and the bright lightning in middle of them, I sensed that that thunderstorm maybe was foreshadowing something really bad being on its way towards of the Jade Palace. I have a really bad feelings about this storm.

"More likely… mean-looking." I said before I headed after my folk and Five into the barracks.

 **TO BE CONTINUE...**


	4. 4: Second encounter with the wolves

**CHAPTER 4: SECOND ENCOUNTER WITH WOLVES  
**

PO'S POV

Even though I was a dragon warrior, the flying wasn't so simple like in the Spirit Realm when I faced Kai for the last time back in there. In the mortal realm, we pandas are not made for flying, so landing was quite rough to me when I fell down to the ground after my quite long and high fly after I escaped from the wolves.

Not counting in a couple bruises I got from the landing, I was okay.

However, I had to kept moving, because the wolves were still right after on my tail and I had to get out of here.

I ran as fast as I could through of the bamboo woods and rocky hills while checking around of him to see was there any wolves really chasing her.

I kept moving nearly two hours, stopping ten times to catch my breath and then kept running.

I had to get back to Valley of Peace.

However, I soon realized that I don't know from where and to where I was going.

That made me realized that I was lost in middle of the bamboo woods.

Where ever did I go, I might either get closer of the Valley of Peace or then I was going too far away from the Valley of Peace.

This needed to happen right at the moment when I was chased by those wolves and I didn't even knew, was I inside or outside of the borders of the Valley.

So I kept running to there and there.

I was so troubled right now.

I however had to stop eleventh time to catch my breath, but to make sure my own safety in these wolf-filled parts of the woods and maybe even to have a better change to find my way back home was get to the rocky hills and looking out from there the location of the Jade Palace.

Because the palace was in top of the highest place of the Valley, not counting the mountains surrounding us, it would not be difficult to find Jade palace from the horizon.

So I tried to find the rock, which top both was flat-shaped and high enough above the bamboo trees.

Fortunately to me, it did not took long from me to find the right one, so I started to climb it.

However, it was quite exhausting to climb towards the flat top of the rock and no wonder, due to my own personal problems in losing some weight and running for my dear life from the wolves throughout the day.

Even though the Kung Fu warrior should not show any sights nor submit to the exhaustion... I was starting to feel the exhaustion coming while climbing.

And after I finally managed to reach to the topside of the rock, I had to once again catch my breath. So, I dropped on my kneels on the flat top of the rock and leaned forward on my arms while taking support with them from the ground, both sweating and panting heavily.

Suddenly, I heard that someone had stepped right before me, so I raised my head up to see who.

Unfortunately, that someone, or more likely they, were the wolves, at least dozen of them in the long line before me and all of them were staring down at me, plus raised their long serpentine swords up against me.

I stood up, still panting but still ready for anything to defend myself.

The wolves approached at me, and forced me to back off 'til very close of the edge of the rock.

If I take even one step more backwards, I'll slip off from the edge of the topside of the rock and fall through the long way to the ground bellow.

With no easier way out of here, and that I got myself both surrounded and cornered by these wolves, I grabbed to my staff and separated it from the middle in two.

Spinning them in my paws, I waited for either these goons to make a first move or then I'll make my own move first.

"Come and get me, guys, my fists are hungry for justice!" I said proudly and bravely, if I say so by myself.

Suddenly, my belly belched, leaving me once again a bit embarrassed in front of these flea-coats just like in the very first encounter with the wolves back in the Artisan Village.

"That was my... fists." Was all I could say right now, with the awkward feelings.

"Get him!" One of the wolves commanded and then all dozen wolves lunged at me with the bloodthirsty in their glowing red eyes.

I lunged at them as well, even though the students and warriors of the panda style of Kung Fu very rarely attacks as the first option.

I then jumped quickly out of way of their swords, which could have either stab me into my heart of cut me in half if I didn't jump.

Then, I jumped up and landed at first onto the head of one of them and jumped from it onto the next two wolves heads, making them dizzy for a shot time.

Then I jumped again and made a somersault in the air until I was about to land in the middle of two wolves, who were gonna hit me on the head with their swords. However, I was faster than them and I quickly performed a double-kick technique, kicking them both out at the same time.

And as I said, "I'm faster than them" despite being still a bit overweight panda.

I attacked the wolves, battling all seven at the same time, defending myself against their attacks by dodging them or blocking with the bamboo parts of my super cool bo-staff their attacks.

I was quite surprised after I witnessed that these wolves just lunged at me using martial arts movements as much as the swords, which were similar to the arts of Kung Fu or then they were the movements of some other martial arts which were completely unknown to me. For example attempting to perform some kicks or punches at me or blocking my own attacks like any Kung Fu master. That was a new thing, more likely strange, because when I engaged these wolves the last time back in the river of the Gongmen city and before that in the village of musicians, their own fighting skills were in the much lower level than our Kung Fu and were quite easily defeated, even though their skills in using the super sharp blades, axes, spears, maces and longbows put even me and my friends to give everything we got to defeat them in combat. However, they mostly used their usual skills against me.

I was quite able to defeat few of them with the similar movements I used back in the Artisan Village. I at first battled with them by blocking or dodging their attacks with my bamboo parts of my super cool bo-staff before I attacked them myself as quickly as I could and unexpectedly, so they couldn't make any counterattack against me, by knocking at first their swords out of they grips and hitting them directly, and with more painfully way to them, into their toes making them to yelp out of pain, which I used to as my advantage against them before I knocked them out of cool with the multiple times in their heads. I defeated at least four wolves like this.

Then about three next wolves surrounded me and attempted to knock me out of cool by delivering some kicks and punches at me. I was luckily trained by Shifu to dodge very fast incoming attacks from all directions.

"Nice kick! Wow, sweet double punch, I love it! I didn't knew that you wolves are the big fans of Kung Fu, if our last encounter back in the Gongmen City inspired you to learn it yourself." I said while dodging and blocking their attacks.

They had very sweet and fully controlled movements.

"Hey, you know this one?" I asked before I delivered my a new cool move called "Dragon's Tail's Sweep!"

I then twisted my hip and lifted my right leg up, and while balancing in my left foot, I made the barrel roll on my left and swung my right leg to the right in lateral arch towards three directions of all four, kicking all three wolves on the way of my leg one by one aside.

And then I turned around and knocked with my fist the last wolf with the punch in the head making him dizzy, until I delivered to him my finishing move, my butt-slap move, sending him fly against two of his from my leaps recovering comrades, knocking them both out of cool and off from the rock.

Then it was over.

I've won the struggle against dozen wolves, who lied on the flat top of the rock knocked out of coo, and I was only one still standing on my feet, almost completely unharmed by their blades, except that they were during of the struggle nearly twice succeeded to cut my fur and skin with the tips of their blades. The wounds weren't quite bad so I did not believed that they would bother or slow me down.

"You see, if you screw up with the panda, it's time for the early slumber for you, guys." I said to them with the panting but victorious smile.

Then, I linked the parts of my bo-staff back together and put it back on my back to wait the next time when I need it.

And after that, I turned to observe the horizon to see where the Jade Palace was.

When I finally saw the Jade Mountain in the north-west, I gasped after I realized that how far it was.

I must have reached either during of my investigation trip or during of my escape from the first wolves too far to the south-east away from the Jade Palace, nearly close or maybe even outside of the borders of the Valley of Peace.

I had to get back to there.

And so, I quickly climbed down from the rock and started to run towards the direction of the north-west.

Besides, my time of investigation was running out and I knew that due to being this far from the Jade Palace, I would never make it back to the Jade Palace in time as I had agreed with master Shifu before I left.

"Shifu's gonna kill me, if I do not get back in time." I whispered myself as I ran through of bamboo woods.

Not long after half an hour, when I arrived to the wide and open area surrounded by hummocks and stones of various sizes in middle of the bamboo woods, until I was suddenly stopped in middle of this wide open area.

Or more likely, I narrowly managed to stop myself before three long spears flew out of nowhere (from the direction to where I was going) and landed into the sharp angles to the ground right in front of me, narrowly missing me.

"WHOA! Whatta…?!" I yelled badly surprised.

Suddenly, I spotted nine wolves more appearing onto the some rocks on my way, all of them carrying the blood-red Flaming Sun tattoo in their chests and all of them glaring down at me with their blood-red gloving eyes.

I shook my head out of frustration. I truly had no time to deal with these wolves, even though there was less than dozen of them against one this time. I had to get back to Valley of Peace and Jade Palace or I'll face something very much worse back home than these wolves.

More than half of them were holding the spears in their paws, which they threw directly at me before at least six of them lunged at me.

I barely managed to dodge two of them which nearly hit me to my face and back.

Then I jumped into the air and kicked one of these spears off from its flight and then I made a quick barrel roll in the air and kicked the spear in lateral position towards the approaching wolves before I landed back on my feet to the ground. The rapidly through the air flying spear hit directly three wolves in the head, knocking them out..

Then I picked two spears and jumped quickly backwards to avoid being once again stabbed or sliced by the wolves swords.

After I landed to the ground, I struck the spears tips onto the ground and started to bend the spears backwards as two wolves approached me with the speed of all fours. And when they eventually lunged at me, I let go from the spears and they swung in the arch forwards, hitting directly at the wolves in middle of their faces, sending out of the pain yelping wolves to fly backwards and land on their backs to the ground.

Then, there was four left.

I let them to attack me at first, before I started to myself run towards them my staff in my paws.

Then, I made a high leap into the air and I flied directly towards the wolves, who by surprise stopped running after I made my leap.

And when I was about land upon of them…

"STAFF OF THUNDER!" I shouted.

And, with the incredible speed for the panda, I knocked each one of the wolves with three-four strikes of my staff to unconscious within five seconds.

And as all the wolves lied beaten on the ground and I was the only one still on my feet and standing in middle of their unconscious bodies, I put my staff back to my back and started to head away from the scene to the woods.

"Hopefully I do no longer face adversities with these wolves." I said to myself.

Then, I unexpectedly heard the loud sound of the thunder, which startled me a little bit.

Good that my friends weren't here to see it, because it would have been quite embarrassing, if they had seen me, the legendary Dragon Warrior, being frightened by a loud sound of the thunder and a dense lighting.

After I quickly calmed down, I turned to look up to the sky.

The sky was unexpectedly covered by the dark and ominous thunderstorm clouds, among of which was a dense and bright lightning as the thunderstorm erupted.

It was a quite dense and violent-looking and also ominous lighting I've ever seen before.

I didn't even saw the sky turning into the dark by the thunder storm clouds because of me due of being the entire morning and forenoon under the bamboo tree's leaf cover. Because these clouds darkened the day, a dense lightning in the sky created the various ominous, quite creepy-looking and even threatening shadows in every corner of the bamboo woods.

And then came all of a sudden the rain.

It was at first a tiny rain, until it very soon turned into the rainstorm, turning the groud under of my feet wet and muddy and my fur went instantly drenched.

However, I wasn't as the Dragon Warrior supposed to show any sign of fear, so I gathered myself up and continued my journey back to the Valley.

But them, I realized that there was something much more worse than just a rain and thunderstorm.

I found myself quickly surrounded by the large pack of the wolves who appeared from the forest and from behind of the hummocks and stones all around of me.

All of them glared down at me with their glowing blood-red eyes.

All of them were in the position of ready to attack me, holding their spears, long and short swords, spears, axes and maces.

Some of them twirled the swords and spears in their paws.

Their loud growl filled the airspace in the open area.

I counted them all by pointing them one by one with my fingers. There was at least seventy wolves more from all around of me, outnumbering me by the numbers and blocking all of my chances to escape from the surround.

I had to get out of here to warn the others that the wolf packs had started to grown this large, but I needed, or more likely, I was forced to fight my way out of here because these wolves weren't definitely gonna let me go so easily.

And because there was only one me against seventy wolves with unknown martial arts, this was gonna get ugly.

 **TO BE CONTINUE...**


	5. 5: Tigress confronts Shifu

**CHAPTER 5: TIGRESS CONFRONTS SHIFU  
**

 **I hope you like it.**

LI SHAN'S POV

I've working right now with Mr. Ping in the student barracks kitchen making something to eat for Master Shifu, Furious Five and the panda students.

Normally, my son and Mr. Ping were the only ones to cook something together for the Furious Five and pandas during the break, even though my son was right now the mighty Dragon Warrior by his title, as all of these people says so, Kung Fu teacher and the so-said Master of Chi.

But now, because he wasn't in here right now, I decided to take my son's role as a cook for this day.

It was good to work with Mr. Ping in the kitchen, because we two usually found ourselves talking with each others while cooking some food. And our common discuss related usually Mr. Ping's happy fatherhood time since he found my little Lotus... and to my unhappy times after I lost my family, ran and hide for my dear life from Shen's wolves and my half-happy times in my village at the mountains.

And in addition of that, a helping paw - or wing- is always welcomed as there's a lot of students in the Jade Palace to be fed. Most of them pandas, including myself, so I had to make the really big serving that there would be enough for everybody.

Mr. Ping made for Shifu and Furious Five my son's noodle soup, while I cooked some scrambled eggs for the pandas.

While we were cooking, I told to Mr. Ping about what I'd heard from Shifu earlier today.

And, as usually, Mr. Ping got nearly uncontrollable nervous attack.

"My son… I mean, our son, just ran away out there in the bamboo woods to investigate this lately wolf activity, even though we don't even know how many those savages are out there and what they're doing out there!" Mr. Ping said worriedly.

I shook my head after I heard that "ran away."

"No, Mr. Ping. Calm down now. Po didn't ran away just like that. As I told you, our son was caught by master Shifu from the porch of the Jade Palace this morning before the gong's mourning sound. He said that Po was worried about this lately but oddly non-hostile wolf activity within our borders, because these wolves bears the symbol of Lord Shen... yet even explained that it was odd for these wolves to bear that accursed symbol even though that maniac bird is already dead." I said.

I snorted loudly out of deep disgust when I even mentioned that blasted peacock, whom I used to call "The White Bringer of Death" for slaughtering my wife and most of my kind and causing my son to be separated from me for most of my and his own life.

But I'm just glad that he is no more.

However, Mr. Ping refused to calm down.

I didn't know that the gooses can be so stubborn to do what they're told.

"But the wolves, we've met the wolf bandits in these lands before, I'm not talking about those ones who worked for that barbaric peacock in the eastern part of the China. The wolves in these parts of the China, judging from everything that Po has told me about them, are far away from being loyal to anyone else but only themselves. My son and the Furious Five gets constantly into the conflicts with those wolf bandits I'm talking about every time when they come here for something what is a precious for them to steal either from the poor and defenseless villagers or from the Jade Palace use it for their own benefit. And as the bandits than a blindly serving followers, these wolves possess many tricky, backstabbing, rather unfair and even brutal ways to torment the villagers… though our son, Po the Dragon Warrior, alongside the Furious Five always arrives to the rescue and kicking the bandits off our village's area." Mr. Ping said with two kind of expressions on his face; at first horror when he explained me the differences between the wolf bandits in the east side and the wolf army in west side of the China and then with the proud smile when he mentioned our son Po and the Five coming to the rescue of the villagers.

Well, I slowly lowered my head after I heard this.

I saw from the corner of my eye that the proud smiling did not faded away from Mr. Ping's face. He probably forgot something. And he did, really.

"Well, each member of the Furious Five were all either younger or none of them were even born when I experienced such of wolf attack upon of my people. Even though it has been already years when it happened, I still remember well all of those screams of agony and panic of my folk when they were both chased and slaughtered by the Lord Shen's wolves and I can still feel that destructive heat of the fire consuming our village and the forest on my face. I still has even a traumatic nightmares from that day and I can't help it, even after all of this moving forward in the life and letting go the past. Because… our son was young back then… and the Furious Five… weren't there to rescue us from the nearly extinction." I said with the deep and sad tone when I remembered all of those horrible moments those wolves did to my people, especially the loss of my wife.

Mr. Ping immediately stopped smiling proudly after what I said. I turned to me slowly and with the feeling sorry for me expression on his face. Po had of course told him all of what happened on that day in the panda village, and probably in the many other panda villages near of Gongmen City so many years ago, but he did not need to feel the same emotional pain as I and Po did.

"Oh, I'm sorry for that, Mr. Shan. I did not meant to hurt your feelings by boasting about what from our son has become." Mr. Ping apologized.

I then turned completely to him.

"No need to apologize, Mr. Ping. I've already moved forward in my life. Even though that accursed peacock, his savage wolves and the influence of their actions still haunts me in my dreams and even though their absence cannot fix the damage that is already done, I've learned from Po to rather look forwards in my life, think about the better future than remain mentally stuck in the pasts." I said with the smile, which I cannot even by myself say that was it either real or fake one to keep even one of the two of us without being offended.

Mr. Ping, however, interpreted it as a real smile and continued cooking.

Suddenly, someone came into the room, getting me and Mr. Ping to turn around to see Dim and Sum plus master Monkey.

"You need any help with in covering the table?" Monkey asked.

TIGRESS POV

I was at the moment still exercising my skills inside of the Training Hall with the panda dummy that looked identically like Po, performing the many hard straight, lateral and hooking punches and kicks onto it, now when Po was gone in his so-called investigation.

And because he was gone for now, nothing can stop me from performing my personal, pretty stone-hard, quite aggressive and even very devastating straight, lateral and hooking punches and kicks onto the panda dummy... which I can't do to Po during of our training.

But I found myself quite bored that Po wasn't here sparring with me like he usually does... Po even has confirmed to me the fact that he loved sparring with me.

Even though I don't question of all of that what master Shifu said about Po earlier today, I still couldn't understand that if Po was planning something like this, then why he wouldn't tell about it to anybody else, including me, before he sneaked out to investigate the wolf activity into the bamboo woods all alone, without bothering to wake up and take anyone of us with him to his trip.

Well, who I was to say anything about that. Po was now not only the Dragon Warrior but also the Kung Fu master and teacher… currently my master and teacher.

However, I couldn't hold myself anymore the fact that Po did not tell me anything about this.

It somewhat pissed me off.

And so, I let out the roar out of frustration and pulled my paws backwards, before I shot them rapidly forwards at the same time, performing my usually devastating double-punch onto the dummy's chubby stomach and sending it to lean into the sharp angle backwards, until it leaned back to forwards and towards me...

...and it was then when I lifted my left leg up, spun myself to the left, performed the barrel roll on my right leg and I "brutally" decapitated with the one hard kick the dummy's head off from the rest of the dummy's body, before I slashed the pretty bad damages in the dummy's stomach with my bared claws, tearing it to shreds within seconds.

Lucky for Po, that it wasn't him in the place of the dummy at the moment. Even though I a bit hoped that it was Po in the place of the dummy at the moment… then my recent and devastating kick and those brutal slashed caused by my claws would've been much less damaging.

Still, I wasn't yet satisfied even though Po's identical dummy was in shreds.

"Oh, Po, why didn't you tell anything about this… this… investigation… even to me!" I growled in frustration, before I let out another roar out of frustration, until I charged towards the Training Hall's wooden crocodile dummies in the area of Gauntlet of Wooden Warriors.

I was so frustrated that I almost smashed and tore everything apart in the training hall, everything what was made out of wood. I even managed to cause the long crack into the unbreakable Jade Tortoise of Wisdom with the extremely hard punch onto it, and a bit with the help of the power of Chi, thanks to Po's teachings. With one single but aggressive swung of my paw, I managed to break even one of the pillars of the Training Hall in half. and I even kept doing this, even punched the holes as big as Po's belly to the walls, until nothing was left to be punched or kicked or even broken.

Eventually, and finally, I realized that rampaging like this doesn't help the situation.

So I decided to calm down and take the break from training for now, and mostly from smashing everything into multiple pieces.

I even ignored the mess I caused and which I was about to leave behind into the Training Hall, as I headed towards the doors of the Training Hall in order to get into my own room in the barracks.

The way back to the barracks wasn't quite pleased… due to this out of nowhere appeared heavy rain.

And after I finally reached to the barracks and arrived to my own room, as soaking wet like the floating tiger, and closed the door behind me. And once inside, I lightened one of the candles on my room's table to have some light and leaned against the wall, sliding down to the floor with the deep sigh, not due of the exhaustion of training and smashing everything into pieces... but due to something else.

"Is something bothering you, Tigress?" I heard someone asking from next of me.

It was master Shifu.

I startled a bit of my father's sudden and unexpected appearance like out of nowhere just like that, without even knocking my room's door and coming inside without letting out of any kind of noise... or else he was here already and waiting for me to arrive.

I quickly stood up into the position and bowed to my master and father respectfully.

"No! Nothing, master. Nothing is bothering me. I'm fine." I said as seriously as I always do.

However, Shifu did not seem to buy that so easily.

He knew already that something was bothering me. He had probably a moment ago visited at the Training Hall and witnessed the mess I left behind… probably guessed that the one who caused the whole mess was me alone.

After all, I used to be his top student and warrior out of all Five, until I lost my position as a top student to Po since his victory over Tai Lung and his own panda-style of Kung Fu and self-learned techniques developing surprisingly quickly to the ultimate level, allowing him to be able to take down even the entire army.

"None of my students can cause such of bad damage in the Training Hall except you and your aggression... or more likely the aggression driven by the pure frustration, Tigress." Shifu said calmly to me. "Well, if overly eager and careless Po in the Hall of Heroes full of fragile trophies and other objects is not included in." My master added this time with the humorous tone.

"And all of that damage in Training Hall tells me that you're greatly bothered by something. Am I right?" He asked.

"No… uh, I meant. Well, It's… uh… I… I guess... it's… uh… I don't know, I just... uh..." I said, nervously stuttering with my words while trying to pretend that I was fine.

However, I finally gave up

"Okay, you won. It's about Po, master. I just can't believe that what he was thinking about in the first place. Going all alone out there in the bamboo woods even though he knows that the woods are swarming with wolves with Lord Shen's symbol. I know how much Po loves working and sparring together with me and the rest of the Five, when it's about the bandit attack to the villages, training with us, wandering with us out there solving the problems and defending the weak ones. But this one... Po usually never leaves without telling anything to anyone of us what he has in his mind, especially me. I... I..."

My master put his hand over of my shoulder to calm me down when I started to get even more worried about Po's safety out of there.

"Po is a unmatched warrior, Tigress, and he has my advises to act out there and my direct orders to be back in here in mid-afternoon as we two agreed. You must trust me that he'll obey me without the question." Shifu said.

I nodded with all respect.

But I also knew that Po has sometimes the habit to intentionally or unintentionally disobey Shifu's orders, especially when the cause was about something which concerned to Kung Fu, from what he had heard but never seen it with his own eyes and is always overly excited to witness it or even use it by himself, despite either mine or Shifu's or anyone else protests and sometimes forbidding words "no" and "not ready."

"I understand, master. But we're faced the wolves like these ones wandering inside of our borders before and we already know how dangerous these savages are... But it's quite odd that they're wandering in here, in the bamboo woods around of the Valley of Peace, without a leader or even a purpose... which they at least had back then when Lord Shen was still alive. The villagers are already scared and nervous due to their presence, but the wolves still have not attacked anyone, not even in the bamboo woods outside the village. It's like they're waiting for someone in the woods. I just have a such of feeling and I don't know why. And the fierce and quite ominous thunderstorm out there will only worsen my feelings."

Shifu seemed to be agreed with me, but...

"I understand your worries for Po, Tigress. And yes, I know that the presence of those wolves under of the blood-red Flaming Sun symbol knows something bad, as there's always the high risk that those wolves might launch the attacks against the villagers and that that quite fierce and apparently also ominous thunderstorm isn't changing the mood any better. But Po is fully aware of this as well and he knows what to do. You have to believe me in this, Tigress, and believing me, you'll believe that Po will be fine out there. So there's no reason get to so worried about our Dragon Warrior." My master said.

"So, what are we gonna do, master?" I asked, still unsure of this.

"Be patient and wait with belief that he'll obey my orders and comes back in time. That's what were gonna do." Shifu answered.

I a bit snorted about what master Shifu had just said.

 _We're supposed only to be patient and wait Po's return?_

"Yeah, unless he disobeys you either intentionally or unintentionally."

This was my only respond to my master decision.

However, master Shifu denied this.

"Oh, he will, Tigress. Besides, have you even seen how much he's been matured as the Kung Fu master and teacher?"

Of course I have. Po may have still some of his old personality left within him, such as his childish manners, his big and non-stop talking mouth, his never-ending swank about his own powers in Kung Fu and his over-excitement, if it's about something which concerns to Kung Fu, but he has become almost or partially like Shifu as a calm and supportive, and, unlike Shifu, maybe a little over-congratulating teacher sometimes.

Yet he lacked the strict personality like Shifu sometimes and he has always and mostly the positive than negative compliments for me, the rest of the Five and pandas about our either old, new and newly learned and constantly exercised abilities in the past days lessons in the Training Hall and Training Yard, even though we get some times the feelings that we failed him in his lessons, if we weren't able to do something what he was able to do and we not.

However, sometimes I don't even know that does the progress of our training with our arts of Kung Fu goes slowly or fast enough under Po's teaching, like it seemed always going faster under Shifu's teaching.

However, Po is always so supportive panda, who supports all of us in anything, even after failing some lessons of him during of the training.

He's the most spiritual support feeding teacher I've ever seen in my life.

And what I like mostly in him as a teacher, is when I spent my free time by sparring with him. With his own panda style and advanced skills of Kung Fu, he is a really worthy opponent for me. We both also shared a quite stubborn attitude while sparring, because we both always refuse to give up from the fight until either of us lies defeated on the ground. And in the past months, even though as much I hate so admit it, it seems that the only one who has been defeated every time we're sparring with each other, is me.

That big, fat and flabby panda... can always be so impressive with his new-found or advanced skills when the others like me, Shifu, Five, pandas and villagers and especially our still living and now-deceased enemies, such as Tai Lung, Lord Shen and Kai, did not expect such of thing from him.

"Yes, master Shifu, I know. But it's also good that his old personality isn't totally lost. I mean that despite his being big, clumsy and immature sometimes, his good sense of humor and willing to keep a good company to everyone in here, he knows how to flush the every day's gray moments and the worries away..." I said.

Shifu nodded with the smile, even though it was soon followed by the sigh.

"But sometimes I hope that he has more seriousness in the training of meditation when he has time for that." Shifu said.

That was a kind of true, unlike any other of us, not counting pandas, Po does not much to pay attention neither time to meditating. Master Shifu has told us every time that we need the training of meditation if one day we have against us such of enemies, who are able to either supernaturally or then mystically attack us in our minds. After Kai, we've trained harder to be more careful for any kind of threats, the usual ones and especially supernatural ones like Kai.

But what becomes to Po and with the meditation, even though he does not meditate much like the rest of us or does not meditate at all, Po has proved his rather fighting skills in the form of the meditation already back in the harbor of the Gongmen city in our last conflict with Lord Shen.

Po seems to use the arts of meditation only then when he truly needs it.

That panda is really impressive, and it's hard to believe that I doubted him with the cold and harsh manners several years ago, when Po was chosen to Dragon Warrior by the Grand Master Oogway.

Currently, but not openly showing it, I'm still a bit ashamed for my cold and harsh manners towards Po back then, due to my stupid jealousy to him for "stealing the title of the Dragon Warrior from me in front of my nose", my internal frustration due of Shifu's stern, harsh and even cold treatment towards his students, including me, and my own and back then quite obsessed will to prove myself so badly to Shifu and make him even for once fatherly proud of me by becoming the Dragon Warrior.

I have to say that without Po appearing into our life, my own life would not be much perfect by the way what it is now.

Then the smile came back on his face and his ears raised up.

"Well, Mr. Ping and Mr. Shan are right now making some food for us in the kitchen. The others are on their way to the kitchen. You want to join them?" My master asked.

I nodded positively.

Even though Po, our official cook, was gone right now, his fathers were here to cook something to eat for all of us.

Master Li Shan was probably cooking scrambled eggs, once again, for the panda students but Mr. Ping was probably cooking his famous and very delicious noodle soup what Po had cooked for all of us, well, except me, during of his first days in the Jade Palace.

I cannot wait to have some of that noodle soup.

"Are you coming too, master?" I asked, hoping to walk the same trip to the kitchen.

However, Shifu shook his head.

"I'm going to the Jade palace to meditate. I'll join you then later. Have a nice dinner with the others, Tigress." He said before he departed and disappeared to the corridors of the barracks.

I watched after my master before he was completely out of my sight.

This was also kind of odd, because he did not mentioned "inner peace" after he said he was going to meditate. Usually my master meditates for inner peace but if he's not meditating for inner peace this time. If it was not inner peace this time, then for what he was meditating?

However, I do not even care. What ever it is, it is good to see that Shifu is more able to meditate more calmly and relaxed currently that what he did long before Po's appearing into our lives.

Then, I left from my room and headed towards the kitchen.

 **TO BE CONTINUE...**


	6. 6: Dinner at the table

**CHAPTER 6: DINNER AT THE TABLE  
**

MONKEY'S POV

"Got it! Next ones!" I called.

I was with Po's cousins Dim and Sum covering the dinner room's table by Mr. Ping's request.

Well, not quite by the way he´s requested, but who cares?

Dim and Sum threw the plates, which Mr. Ping had brought from hi9s Noodle Restaurant all the way up here to the top of the Jade Mountain and the student barracks through the stairs of the One Thousand Steps, one by one or two at the same time from the another side of the dinner room towards me.

They wanted to know that was I able to catch the plates without using my hands to balance, which were tied up behind of by back.

However, I did not need my hands to balance. My tail was enough to keep my balance while I jumped here and there to catch with my legs the plates from the air.

I greatly enjoyed this. It was so funny to bet with Po's cousins that were I able to do something what they propose me to do... using the money, couple or three coins at once, as payment in our bets if I was able to do something they proposed me to do.

These two pandas have recently been a high risk of losing all their money due of these bets, but still they stubbornly kept going.

Well, be my guest, is my only respond for these boneheads.

Even little Bao and Lei Lei, who arrived to the dinner room a long before the others and who had sat down on the chairs in the other side of the table, so that they would not be on the way of me and Po's cousins, laughed and clapped their paws together while following my stunts.

Bao had even climbed onto the table and had attempted to imitate my movements, as he always does as a habit. But being the panda, and not the monkey like me, gave him a bit of difficulty to move like me in the air and the paws put behind of his back.

However, when Mr. Ping arrived at the scene and saw how we treated his plates, he gasped in shock and horror how his sensitive and expensive plates were alternately thrown around like the training objects.

"Four left, monkey. Up high!" Dim called as he and Sum threw four plates at the same time.

"NO! NO, NO, NO, NO, NO! NOT MY PLATES!" Mr. Ping shouted.

I managed to catch two of them with my lower limbs from the air and the third one with my tail. Thanks to my quick leap up into the air to catch so many plate as I was capable. During of which, as I was about to land down onto table, I had to throw one of the plates in my lower limbs off so that I was able to land onto the table without breaking the plates under of my leg.

I did so, and after I'd landed onto the table, I managed to get the plate I threw off from my right leg to land on the top of my head.

However, I missed the fourth one, which flied right towards the open door and was about to collide against the wall and go broken.

However, it was then when Tigress just arrived to the dinner room, unexpectedly right on the way of the flying plate.

I saw Tigress' eyes widened as she noticed the plate coming right towards her face.

Tigress, using her tiger instincts, senses and speed, reacted quickly by bowing down out of the plate's way and with the fast motion and placed both her paws to the floor, after which she bounced and shot her lower body and her legs upwards and over her upper body and kicked with her right leg the plate out of its flight route from underneath of it, sending the plate to fly high to the air-space of the kitchen.

Then, after bouncing with the strength of her paws to get back on her feet, Tigress made a high leap, as high as the kitchen's air space allowed her to do, into the air towards the plate and grabbed it into her paws when it was about to fall back towards the room's floor. After Tigress managed to grab the plate from the air, she made a couple somersaults in the air and then landed on her feet to the floor.

And soon after that, she bounced once again up and performed the movement, that was the mix of the couple somersaults and a lateral barrel roll while holding the plate still in her right paw, until she eventually landed back on her feet to the ground in the next of the table and threw the plate towards the table, making it to land gently and directly to the front of the seat where Lei Lei sat.

This all happened so quickly, and Tigress seemed to handle it quite easily, managing to react before directly towards her flying plate managed to hit her into her faces, bowing down and landing on her paws and bouncing her upper body and legs into the air and kicking the plate out of its flight route high into the air, grab it from the air and finally throw the plate on the table within the seconds and even without breaking the plate.

"Wow, nice move, Tigress." I said, clapping my hands at her.

Tigress, however, did not paid any attention to me and my clapping, such like by bowing at me with that "Thank you, thank you. You're too kind" gesture like Po always does, when he even hears clapping given to him after some "awesome" but ancient and sometimes even impossible Kung Fu movement he delivers at times or performances in front of the young villagers in the village.

Tigress only stood back up, relaxing her body from the stern position she took after throwing the plate and continued her way towards her seat.

After seeing Tigress coming right towards of her, Lei Lei immediately jumped off from her seat and ran towards Tigress her little arms spread widely for the hug she was gonna deliver to Tigress.

"Stripey baby." The little panda said as she approached Tigress.

After hearing that nickname given to her and used usually by Lei Lei, Tigress immediately turned her attention to the little adorable panda and knelt down to pick up Lei Lei from the ground into her arms.

"Hi there, you adorable and fluffy little hair ball." Tigress said with the such of gentle voice as a very rarely seen warm and motherly smile appeared out of nowhere to her usually stern faces, while tapping with her finger at the little Lei Lei's nose, making the panda to giggle.

Such of touching and warm moment between of those two, who were like mother and daughter to each others, made me to smile and almost to burst into tears.

Oh, boy. Pandas can really be physically and emotionally mysterious people. Even such of hardcore like Tigress cannot resist something so adorable like Lei Lei.

Tigress then lifted Lei Lei over her head and placed her to sit down on her shoulders, before she headed and eventually sat down in the same seat in which Lei Lei was sitting a moment ago, right to the next to little Bao. This was so happy sight in my eyes.

However, Mr. Ping wasn't as happy after seeing such of treatment to his plates in my and Po's cousins hands.

"I asked you three to cover the table with my plates, YOU WERE NOT SUPPOSED TO PLAY WITH MY FRAGILE PLATES, YOU HEAR ME!" Mr. Ping shouted annoyed, scolding me and Po's cousins for nearly breaking one of his plates.

"But Mr. Ping, at least nothing didn't break, and..." I tried to explain while trying to back off, until...

CRACK!

WHOOPS!

I was just saying.

I noticed, albeit a too late, that I just stepped onto one of those fragile plates on the table, and now I did break it under of my leg.

Of course, Lei Lei had to burst out into the hearty giggle at this tiny accident, and soon even Tigress started to slightly giggle at this. Lei Le's hearty giggle seemed to be a quite contagious, that even as a usually as hard like a rock known Tigress apparently was not immune to this adorable and fluffy hair-ball's giggle.

I just laughed a bit nervously to my clumsiness as I took my leg off from the separated parts of the plate and slowly get off from the table and back to the chair at the table, albeit Mr. Ping had took the death-glare on his faces, which he had targeted only at me.

Then, Po's panda father Li Shan entered to the dinner room.

"Come on, Mr. Ping. Don't be so hard to master Monkey. It was just a pure accident and the accidents happens there all of time. Besides, you still have plenty of those plates left, huh?" Mr. Shan said with his usual hearty tone of voice.

Mr. Ping then turned away from me and scowled at Mr. Shan.

"Well, you've one to talk AND IT'S NOT GONNA HELP THIS IN ANY WAY! You yourself have lived in hide in the mountains in that secret panda village for two decades or so and ate from the wooden bowls rather than from the porcelain saucer, which are very easily breakable and, moreover, yet quite expensive to buy, Mr. Shan. I don't know do you as a farmer even know what means the word "money", but if you do, you should know what I'm feeling about the broken plates of mine... even with out of a accident broken ones." Mr. Ping said angrily and frustrated.

Mr. Shan laughed heartily at this.

"That's why I prefer more the wooden ones rather than easily breakable stuff. They do not easily go broken and they can be used many times over and over. Only one thing what I hate in the wooden bowls is that they must be carved from the wood and that's very hard and long-taking job. But we pandas are not that lazy, as some people says about us, that we're not able or even willing to do our own stuff by ourselves." He said as he passed Mr. Ping.

Mr. Ping sighed and looked down... still upset for his plate.

"Sorry, Mr. Ping. I did not meant to break it." I apologized humbly as I jumped down from the table and sat in my chair.

Frustrated from one of his broken plate, Mr. Ping let out another sigh, but eventually the goose calmed down.

"Never mind, master Monkey." He eventually said. "I still have plenty of plates back in my noodle shop anyway."

I sighed in relief, but soon I started thinking about the way how I could make this a tiny accident up for Mr. Ping.

After thinking something for a while, I got an idea.

"You won't mind, if I and Po's cousins may bring the food in the table for you and Mr. Shan, Mr. Ping?" I said. And soon after I had said that, I jumped off from my chair to the doors and gestured on my way Po's cousins to follow me into the kitchen.

They immediately followed me without the question.

However, Mr. Ping wasn't quite pleased about this.

"What? No, no, no, no, master Monkey. In the name of Mr. Ping I... hey, wait! Where are you going! No, no, no, no! Come back! I did not give you my permission to touch my plates! No, no, no, no! Master Monkey, Dim and Sum! All of you three! Come back here immediately! I FORBID YOU FROM TOUCHING MY DISHES! I'M WARNING YOU! KEEP... YOUR... MONKEY AND PANDA FINGERS... AWAY... FROM... MY... PLATES!" I heard Mr. Ping yelling after us, but I just ignored them and headed for the kitchen.

TIGRESS' POV

Lei Lei giggled heartily on my shoulders when Mr. Ping's cries fell to the deaf ears of Monkey, Dim and Sum as they disappeared from the dinner room to the kitchen. The goose was really afraid for his precious plates after Monkey trampled accidentally one of them.

Also Mr. Shan laughed heartily.

"C'mon, Mr. Ping, why so worried? Take it easy, master Monkey and Dim and Sum will handle this well and no more plates will break." He said while patting Mr. Ping's back before he sat on the table next to me and Lei Lei.

With the displeased expression on his face, Mr. Ping turned around and headed to his own chair, sitting down next of Mr. Shan.

"Well, why I should be so worried. BECAUSE MY PLATES ARE IN THE HANDS OF THE MONKEY AND THOSE TWO CLUMSY PANDAS... WHICH MEANS THAT MY PLATES ARE IN GRAVE DANGER!" Mr. Ping said with the loud and lamenting tone.

And then, I opened my mouth to speak.

"I don't know about Po's cousins, but once master Shifu put monkey to balance in the top of the narrow bamboo post and holding two or three towers of the plates in his fingers and on his head nearly for 11 hours, Mr. Ping. master Shifu even tested him by throwing fifty plates in the air, asking Monkey to catch every last one of them without dropping any of them to the ground. Monkey was successful, even though one of the plates was nearly hit to the ground until he caught it narrowly with his tail." I explained.

"So, I'm with Mr. Shan that everything is gonna be fine with Monkey and Po's cousins while they bring us the dinner."

However, Mr. Ping still wasn't pleased from this.

"That does not make me feel any better, master Tigress." He said.

And then, Crane, Viper, Mantis, Mei Mei, Grandma and Hugger appeared on the doors of the dinner room and walked inside.

"What was that shouting in here?" Crane asked from us, having heard shouting in here.

"Mr. Ping is just worried about his plates in the hands of Monkey and Po's cousins. He's afraid that in their hands his plates are gonna be the former ones before they even reach to the dinner room." I answered.

"Lucky he didn't ask me to do this job. I can barely hold even the small tea cup and tea plate on the top of my head while training because... well, you know, I lack greatly both the paws and hands unlike you guys." Viper said quite humorously. And what she just said was quite common among the snakes.

"Well, it doesn't bother me. I'm able to take one tower of plates on my own. Even though the others might not be quite impressed to hear the bug holding the tower of plates, heavier than himself, on his own and call me in advance even small weak bug. How ridiculous!" Mantis said as she jumped from above of Crane's hat on the table.

And of course, much to his shock, Lei Lei spotted him immediately and stretched out her paws towards him.

"Green baby." Lei Lei said.

I giggled at Mantis reaction to this as he quickly gasped and backed away.

"Not the baby! Not the baby! Where's Po's action figure of me?! GIVE IT TO HER! QUICKLY! QUICKLY!" Mantis asked with the alarmed and panic-like tone and quickly hurried away from Lei Lei's reach

All of us laughed at this.

Along with Viper, I allowed Mei Mei and Grandma to sit down next of me and Lei Lei. While we've been trained under Po's teachings, I have made good friends with Mei Mei and Grandma... not only because they're women like me and Viper, but also that these pandas have proved themselves to be much more than what the eyes can see.

Before these wolf activity, I fought with Mei Mei against the barbaric horde of two hundred boar bandits, which attacked to the village of the Valley of Peace while Shifu and Po were gone at the very important meeting and the others were gone visiting in their villages meeting their relatives, except me and Mei Mei, as we were left to watch over Jade Palace and the village. We both fought with the one nunchucks which we both shared in the fight. Like working with Po in the battles against the bandits, also my and Mei Mei's teamwork and common techniques of ours have been so impressive that we were able to defeat two hundred boar bandits two alone. Some of the villagers, astonished and even pleased of having more than just one panda protecting the village of the Valley of Peace against the bandits, have given to Mei Mei the nickname after Po's title, Dragon Warrioress.

And with Grandma's case, she acts to me, actually to all of us, like the mother figure and good friend to me and master Shifu. I've even found myself spending some time even with her. We both have been training together, even though Grandma is already old but still cheery panda and we both spend some time with Lei Lei and other baby pandas in the barracks, telling to them some stories of my adventures with the Furious Five and especially with Po. She also watched from aside with the happy smile on her face while I was once performing Kung Fu and teaching some movements to the panda babies mimicking my movies while Po wasn't around back then and I also helped Grandma with the cooking and table settings, even though I have minor difficulties in cooking.

Most of my own free time, when when I have not been dealing with Po, Shifu, rest of the Five or anyone else, I was spending my time with Lei Lei. That little adorable panda's company was always so helpful when I was in the bad mood for something. She was the only one I couldn't drive off... not even politely. She was the real source of happiness and comfort and yet her company for me even made me to act like the mother figure and even teacher to her.

Hugger sat down in the next of Mr. Ping and even tried to offer the goose the bear hug. However, Mr. Ping immediately refused to be hugged by the panda, who was capable to crush the rocks with his hugs, but despite Po's goose father's attempts to not be hugged by Hugger, Hugger just kept attempting to give to Mr. Ping the bear hugs... even one.

Mr. Ping's panic-like quacking while trying to evade Hugger's bear hugs made little Bao and Lei Lei to giggle at Mr. Ping once again.

"How do you pandas can even endure Hugger's massive and bone-breaking bear hugs?!" Mr. Ping asked with the panic-like tone, asking at the same time Li Shan to calm Hugger down before he'll crush unintentionally his goose bones.

"Let us say... with the years of training." Little Bao said humorously as he sat in the next of me and Lei Lei

That was kind of true, because Hugger is strong enough to squeeze even Po in his arms.

Bao's joke made all of us laugh heartily, as Mr. Shan eventually got Hugger to calm down, or he rather took most of Hugger's bear hugs for himself in Mr. Ping's Mr. Ping, who let out the sigh out of his beak in relief.

Mantis and Crane sat in the another end of the table, much to Mantis's relief. At least it was the one place where he was safely far away from from Lei Lei.

It was then when I felt the large paw landing on my left shoulder, gaining my attention and I turned to look at the owner of the paw, who turned out to be no one else but Po's panda father Li Shan... after he had taken Hugger's hugs for himself.

"Master Tigress, can I speak with you a little two alone?" Mr. Shan suddenly asked from me.

It came kind of out of surprise to me, even though I've been trained to be alarmed for any kind of ominous or friendly, but unexpected sound around of me.

I nodded to Mr. Shan and lifted little feather-light Lei Lei off from my shoulder into my arms, before I handed her over onto Grandma's arms.

"I have to speak with the Mr. Shan for a moment, Lei Lei. Will you be a good girl to Grandma's while I'm gone?" I said with a motherly tone.

"Yes, stripey baby." Lei Lei giggled, which made me smile at her motherly.

I then gently and playfully tapped her nose with my finger once again, earning from her the hearty giggle, before I walked out from the dinner room and headed after Li Shan to the corridor to talk with Po's panda father.

"You wanted speak with me?" I said to the panda, after we both reached to the corridor and were two alone.

"Yes, and... I suppose that you already know the reason for what I want to speak with you." Li Shan answered to me.

It was not difficult for me to guess from what, or most likely about of whom, he wanted to speak with me.

"It's Po, right?" I asked, earning from him a humble nod.

"What about him?"

Li Shan was briefly silent, probably trying to consider how he could start this.

"I still don't get his insane-sounding idea of going off to the bamboo woods to investigate this recent wolf activity. He's all alone out there where those packs of wolves are as well and there's that ominous and fierce thunderstorm raging outside. We, as well as Po, do not have any idea why those wolves are out there, but any single panda before of those beasts eyes gives to those savages an easily-triggered lust for panda blood. Don't ask that "am I sure about this", because the truth is that I am with the hundred percent sure and I've already seen it back in my old village. And most importantly, I'm worried maybe Po isn't able to come back from there in one peace." He said to me, but without looking at me.

And then, he raised his head and looked at me directly into my eyes.

"I also, kind of, happened to hear your and master Shifu's talking with each other about this from the kitchen, causing myself at the same time nearly burn my own paw in the hot stove. So, dare I ask this from you... Did master Shifu said to you that how we should act right now in Po's case?"

I also considered that how I could start to explain everything to Mr. Shan.

"Master Shifu told me that we should not be worried about Po while he's gone in his investigation trip out there, and he also said that Po, as a highly skilled and unmatched warrior, is both capable to take care of himself and handle a several dozens of bandits and those wolves on his own." I answered.

However, Mr. Shan did not seem to be satisfied for my answer.

"And what is that supposed to mean, Tigress? Are we gonna do something for him or not? What are the master Shifu's plans for him?" He asked impatiently and demanding the better answers.

I understood Mr. Shan's worries over Po... because he was the last one what was still left from Po's original family, and that Po was at the moment right in the middle of the area, which was in this very moment swarming with those savage wolves... the very same wolves he had faced back in Gongmen city so many years ago.

"Be patient and wait for his return. That's master Shifu's plan." I eventually answered.

I saw clearly Mr. Shan's mouth hanging open and eyes widened in disbelief of what I just said.

"That's it? That's a plan? Why we don't send after him even some a reinforcements to aid him and make sure that he surely gets safely back here? You're the one of the most closest friends to him, master Tigress, that's why I wanted to talk with you. So why don't even you just go after him on your own?" Mr. Shan said.

I rolled my eyes and sighed lightly out of annoyance. I though that Li Shan had already let go from his worries over Po and from his traumatic past just like Po did long time ago before him, but seemingly NOOOOOO!

I understand his fatherly worries over Po's safety and well-being, but every warrior, every student, even the ones in the high level of skills and training and greatly respected title such as the title of the Dragon Warrior, is honor-bound to obey their masters and do what they're told to do. Po knows this too well and Li Shan, as one of Po's panda students, should know that too, despite the fact that he's Po's father.

How hard it was to explain this one clear thing to one panda.

"Because master Shifu forbidden me to go after him, even though I feel the strong and irresistible urge inside of me to go after him right this second and make sure that he's okay and comes back well and sound." I said this straight to his face out of frustration.

"But I say this to you one last time, Shan... we'll obey master Shifu's orders and stay right in here... and wait for his return right in here... RIGHT... IN... HERE! And that's all. And I'm not gonna repeat myself." I added, with a bit harsh tone of voice.

And with no willing to talk about this anymore with him, I took extremely frustrated and a bit anger-like expression on my faces, like I always do when Po begins sometimes to get into my nerves, as I turned my back to Mr. Shan and returned to the dinner room.

But unlike with Po, my sudden outburst out of frustration and anger-like expression had no effect to Mr. Shan. In Po's case, Po has always humbly and respectfully backed down every time when he even sees my faces in such of expression... though I've sometimes given to him the physical lesson from being messing up with me.

I started to walk away, but Mr. Shan grabbed from my left shoulder and turned me around back to him, much to my annoyance.

Li Shan was kind of stubborn panda, just like his son.

"Well, if you do feel such of urge, master Tigress, then why you do not just go out there after him on your own?" He asked... even though he had already asked me that very same question.

I snorted, even growled out of frustration and annoyance, before I shook Mr. Shan's paw off from my shoulder.

"Because... as I already told you, I'm more than just honor-bound to obey Shifu as his student and his adoptive daughter, just like Po is honor-bound to the Jade Palace and to Grand Master Oogway's the decision to choose him as the Dragon Warrior. Besides, master Shifu told me to wait patiently and trust that Po will obey his direct orders to stay inside of our borders, not to engage the wolves if their numbers are too great for him to beat and return back to the Jade Palace safely and in time... and that's what I'm going to do." I said sternly.

Then I departed back in the dinner room, not wanting to speak about this anymore with Mr. Shan.

I clearly heard him letting out the deep sigh in defeat, and out of disappointment, obviously for failing to convince me to go after Po to take him back, before he followed me to the dinner room.

VIPER'S POV.

I saw Tigress and Po's panda father right behind of Tigress' trail coming back into the dinner room.

Tigress did not had a very good-looking expression on her face, but she still took little adorable Lei Lei from Grandma's paws and sat back next of me.

"What it was all about?" I dared to ask, even though I knew that Tigress wasn't in that mood.

"About Po and his investigation trip... again." Tigress muttered to me.

"It's seems to be the general talking subject today." I guessed.

Tigress let out the light growl, which a bit startled Lei Lei.

"What's wrong, Stripey Baby?" An adorable panda asked.

Tigress quickly calmed herself down when she reminded herself that she had Lei Lei in her arms, and that Tigress was very unwilling to bring any harm upon that little adorable panda... not even accidentally out of her own frustration from her frustrating discuss with Shan in the corridor.

"Nothing, little one. I'm fine." She said with the motherly tone and smile.

I heard then Mantis and Crane muttering in the another side of the table.

"Where's master Shifu? Isn't he gonna join us for the dinner?" Crane asked from us after he had looked for Shifu with his eyes and saw that he as not among of us.

"Shifu isn't gonna join us now, Crane, so not to worry. He's in the Training Hall meditating, even though I didn't heard him saying that he was going to meditate for inner peace as he always does." Tigress said.

This was quite odd to me, because usually master Shifu does not meditate for anything else but inner peace after each training lesson or during of his own personal free time. However, I did not dare to ask from Tigress that for what he was then meditating if not for inner peace.

Probably because even she did not know it herself either.

Then, we all heard the tiny growling.

It did not came from Tigress' mouth because she had already calmed down.

Neither from the pandas, nor even from the little Bao's and Lei Lei's stomachs, because when their stomachs growls, it's very, very loud sound even from the little pandas. We have an experience... a good example giving experience... of this from the many times when Po's stomach has started to growl from hunger.

"Who's stomach then growled in here, and with so tiny sound?" Mr. Ping suddenly asked, breaking the silence upon the table.

All around the table, me, Tigress, Lei Lei, Li Shan, Crane, little Bao, Hugger, Mei Mei and Grandma shook their heads, giving to Mr. Ping a negative answer. Implying that no anyone's stomach around of the table didn't growl.

And due to that, we did not need to guess too long that who it really was, until Mantis opened his mouth to speak.

"Speaking of growling stomachs, where's the food? I'm starving." He said.

"Mantis, you start to sound like Po when he's starving. And I though that one warrior with the massive panda-hunger and -appetite was enough in here already." Crane said with a quite humorous tone.

"Well, except that we have now nine pandas, including Po, among of us now." Mantis fired back at Crane.

Then, Mr. Ping opened his mouth to speak and was about to stand up from his seat.

"If you excuse me, perhaps it is best for someone to go to look that what's taking so long with Monkey and Dim and Sum. If you ask me, I'll say that they're probably..."

However, Mr. Ping got no chance to finish what he was about to say before Monkey and Po's cousins finally appeared from behind the door to the dinner room.

Dim and Sum brought the meal in the large pots to the table, but Monkey was balancing with fourteen plates and bowls filled with scrambled eggs and noodle soup... eight of them in his arms, two of them in his hands, one on his head, couple on his left foot and the last one balancing on the tip of his tail.

Mr. Ping immediately gasped in shock after seeing this sight in front of him.

He quickly jumped on the table, stretching out his wings towards Monkey.

"MONKEY! I..." Mr. Ping immediately stopped and cleared his throat before she spoke again.

"Master Monkey. Can I help you with those very fragile plates and bowls, please?" Mr. Ping asked with the quite pleading and for his plates worrying tone.

"I got it, thanks." Monkey simply said back.

"Hey, Bao! Get ready! It's time for the test of yours!" Monkey added, much to Mr. Ping's confusion.

"Test? What test?" He questioned.

Suddenly, Monkey threw all the plates and bowls into the air, much to Mr. Ping's shock and horror that the goose eventually covered his eyes, not willing to see the complete destruction of his finest and very fragile plates and bowls against either the wooden table or the floor.

I almost felt sorry for Mr. Ping for that.

And then, when the plates and bowls started to fall back down, Bao suddenly jumped off his seat and on the table and then jumped again on the air towards the plates and bowls "flying" in the air.

We all witnessed that little Bao was astoundingly fast by switching the directions in the air and kicking with his tiny little feet every plate and bowl in front of each one of us, without breaking anything... at least for now. Little Bao even bought himself a bit extra time by kicking some plates and bowls back into the air, or even making some somersaults while kicking the plates and bowls back to air, so he was able to focus for a moment to the other plates and bowls before his attention and focus returned to the previous ones he kicked back into the air.

And when little Bao was done, we all clapped at little panda, very impressed of his performance. And as in exchange for the clapping he received from us for his performance, Bao bowed down to all of us as the sign of "thank you" by imitating Kung Fu master's respectful bowing ways.

"Well done, little master Bao." I said, mostly because I didn't have hands for clapping at the little panda.

However, instead of clapping, I then lowered my head to the respectful bow at the little Bao for his performance.

Bao then bowed back to me.

"Thank you, master Viper." Bao thanked before he returned on his place to the table.

Mr. Ping then uncovered his eyes and, much to his surprise, shock and confusion, he saw that all of his plates and bowls were in one pieces and on the table in a good order in front of each person sitting at the table.

Nothing has got broken, even though it was a bit hard even for little Bao, their little ultimate kicking-expert, to keep up with the pace of every freely in the air flying and downwards falling plate and bowl and kick them in order onto the table without dropping and breaking anyone of them.

"How...? But how?" Mr. Ping wondered in shock,

"Simple. It's Kung Fu training, Mr. Ping" Monkey and little Bao answered with unison, before they made laughing a high four with each other.

Dim and Sum then started immediately pour from one of the pots the scrambled eggs for themselves and then to the other pandas plates and then the noodle soup for us the Furious Five and to little Lei Lei, before they themselves sat down on their chairs and began to eat with the rest of us.

Even though we've already get used to the presences of the pandas in any kind of forms, thanks to Po's presence, but at least even Po had some table manners during of eating, unlike his cousins. They were immediately pouring scrambled eggs into their mouths with the spoons with the rapid pace... and so fast before neither of them managed to swallow their first spoonful before the next one was in their mouths.

And because of this, both of them ate like the pigs... with their mouths open so that the food was drooling out from their mouths.

It was best for me to look elsewhere, so I don't lose my appetite.

"Say what you like about uncle Shan..." Dim started before he took another spoonful of scrambled eggs into his mouth.

"The uncle knows how to scramble an egg." Sum finished for his brother and took another spoonful from his own meal into his mouth.

Most of us, except the pandas themselves, were quite disgusted of these two's table manners... especially me and Tigress.

However, Tigress didn't even care about it much, because she herself was at the moment pouring the spoonful of the delicious noodle soup gently and carefully into Lei Lei's mouth with the motherly gesture.

I eventually paused my own eating for while and turned my attention into Po's father.

"As these two's uncle, Mr. Shan, you probably should have taught to those two some table manners when a person dines in conjunction with each other. They should take inspiration from their cousin Po. At least he knows how to behave at the table... even better than these two does." I said, hoping at the same time that what I just said did not hurt Dim and Sum's feelings, even though those two full attention was mainly in their meal.

Li Shan swallowed his own meal and then paused his dining to answer.

"Well, son has lived most of his life with the goose father and as the student in here with you, unlike I, my nephews and rest of the pandas, due of living the decades on the mountains in the hide, nearly completely separated from the rest of the world, and according to our own habits. You see, master Viper, it's so hard to get rid of old habits, I say." Li Shan answered and poured another spoonful of noodle soup into his mouth.

I sighed and turned then back on my own meal, before the brief silence was again broken.

"Speaking about Po, shouldn't he be here by now?" Mr. Ping suddenly asked.

"Yeah, the big guy just missed the delicious dinner, cooked by his dads, and the good moment of friends in the bad time." Mantis said and was about to pour a new batch of noodle soup into his "tiny" mouth.

"Yes, but even this "good" company doesn't feel the same like usually... not without Po. I hope that he's okay out there in this fierce storm and in the middle of nothing occupied by those wolves." I said with the worried tone as I turned back to Li Shan and Tigress.

Tigress turned her eyes from feeding of Lei Lei towards me, demanding me with her stern look to stand down with that much-talked "Po's investigation trip" subject. Tigress apparently had enough of hearing or even thinking about it or she was simply trying to either ignore it or tolerate with it.

Seemingly all those attempts were a quite hard for Tigress, because we all knew her sensitive temperament, which is always in danger of explosion when she was either cranky or pretty annoyed/frustrated with Po and his non-stopping talkative mouth and his often reckless and his often immature attitude.

Eventually, she opened her mouth to speak.

"I've already told this to Mr. Shan and now I'm gonna say this... for the very last time... to all of you, so may I have everyone's attention please?" Tigress said with the quite frustrated tone, that she had to repeat herself yet again... and this time to all of us.

Everyone around of the table, including me even though I had already, paused their dinning and turned their attention to Tigress.

However, Dim and Sum didn't paid their attention to Tigress at all.

Their eyes, and noses, were in their plates devouring their meals and even licking their plates.

 _Disgusting!_

Tigress took two or three kind of expressions on her face; one was her usual stern look, which she had targeted at Po's cousins, with the disgusted look on her faces due to their poor table manners. And the next one was requesting look, as she turned again to my direction... nodding sternly her head towards Po's cousins.

I already knew what she meant by this.

We two had often done this to Po, when he lacked paying some attention and concentration in master Shifu's lessons during the several years between of Tai Lung's defeat in Po's paws and our mission back in the Gongmen City to stop now-deceased Lord Shen's conquest of China.

We all know that the pandas butt seems to be quite... sensitive sometimes.

So, I silently slithered off from my seat to beneath of the tables and sneaked behind of Po's cousins seats, where I coiled my tail a little bit, gathered some strength into my tail, before I released my tail and launched it towards Dim and Sum and I gave to them two quick and snappy lashes in their butts.

"WOUCH!" Was the panda brothers very first reaction as I pulled myself back into my chair.

The wave of pain they felt in their butts was enough to close and seal their mouths to both shut, that even a one single would couldn't escape from their mouths for a while.

Monkey knew that what I was about to do when I disappeared beneath of the table, after probably witnessing Tigress having locked her attention to me and nodding at Po's cousins, and it caused him to grin humorously and nearly even to burst out of the laugh, which he attempted to hold back by covering his mouth with his hand, until he couldn't take it any more as the loud cry out of the snappy pain from the pandas mouths got him to chuckle mischievously at the pandas.

To prevent the pandas to be offended by Monkey's laugh, I quickly made the same thing to Monkey from bellow the table, targeting my next strike of my tail on his left lower limb's toes.

And after I had delivered my strike on him, Monkey took the grinning expression on his faces out of snappy pain in his toes.

At least he didn't laugh now anymore.

"Enough of lashes and chuckling at each others! Let's hear what Tigress has to say to us." Mantis said quite impatient tone.

"Please, continue Tigress." He added, gesturing her to continue.

Tigress nodded and opened her mouth.

"Well, I know that we're all worried about Po because he went... foolishly all alone, of course... on his investigation trip to the bamboo woods filled with those wolves. I know that all of us might feel worry for the panda being gone out there and, of course, the great and irresistible urge to go there to go there to find him and bring him back. And before any one of you says anything back, I inform to you that master Shifu has a deep faith on Po that he follows directly his orders to stay inside of our borders, not engage if he's outnumbered and that he'll be back here in time as they've agreed." Tigress explained to us.

"So, master Shifu has given to us through of me the very direct order... we must remain patient and wait for Po's return. He'll say no more." Tigress finished.

"WHAT?!" The entire crowd shouted in one voice... except little Lei Lei, me and Li Shan.

Of course, master Shifu may have already told this to all of us already today, but maybe he had put Tigress herself to tell it to all of us yet again, just in case to make his orders very clear to all of us.

"And what about he does not come back as he and master Shifu agreed?" Mr. Ping asked from Tigress in.

"Master Shifu told me that he and Po agreed before his departure this morning, that Po can do his investigations out there until the mid-afternoon, when he should be back here then." Tigress simply responded.

"And what about then if he doesn't...?" I asked with the worrying tone.

Tigress cleared her throat before she continued.

"Well, master Shifu didn't exactly told me that how were supposed to act if Po doesn't come back until the mid-afternoon as they had agreed. But don't worry... if he doesn't come back until and over the mid-afternoon and unless Master Shifu instructs otherwise..."

"...I shall be the very first one of all of us to go out there after him." Tigress declared with the patient, or patient-like, smile on her face.

She then turned her eyes back to Lei Lei and continued pouring the noodle soup into Lei Lei's mouth.

We all returned back to our meal after Tigress finished her speech.

However, I saw from my corner of my eyes that the deep worry for Po didn't fade from both Mr. Ping's and Li Shan's faces... even after hearing this.

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**

 **I hoped you liked this chapter.**


	7. 7: Po fights with the wolves

****CHAPTER 7. PO FIGHTS WITH THE WOLVES  
****

 **ENJOY THE READING!**

PO'S POV

Seventy wolves... against one panda with the Dragon Warrior's title.

I would say that this is cool, because they would tell in the stories and legends...

" _The Dragon Warrior defeated the pack of seventy wolves on his own... all alone._ "

But I also found this to be a bit unfair. The odds of this one were greatly against me by numbers and I was surrounded and all alone.

The Furious Five wasn't now here fighting on my side against the big group of bandits like they usually do.

But, of course, I'm the one who didn't even bother to take anyone of them with me when I left from the Jade Palace, because I never even believed that my simple investigation trip would suddenly turn from the investigation trip into the fighting for my life, especially against the enemy that overpowers me by numbers.

This meant, that the result may be any kind of.

The wolves had formed the ring around of me, as they all stood all around of me in their fighting positions of their unknown martial arts.

Like me, they seemed to waiting for my attack at them at first.

They probably do not know that the panda style's warriors, like me and my panda students, never attacks as the first option.

However, even though I was gonna disobey master Shifu's direct orders to not engage the wolves if their numbers are too great and the odds of the situation are highly against me, this time I made the exception with my panda styled Kung Fu's code and attacked the wolves at first.

Because I knew that I can never outrun the whole pack.

And after I lunged at them, they attacked me as well.

Now was the time for the good old action.

I separated my staff in two, because I needed right now something I can use like the swords or sword-like clubs, rather than in the form of the the staff, right now.

I jumped over the two first one wolves, dodging both of their own blades that were meant to cut me in two pieces from my waist, before I extended my legs backwards and delivered two kicks for both of to their backs, sending them to fly aside and over on their stomachs to the muddy and wet ground behind me.

It helped me to focus to other attackers.

Third one attacked me with the long wooden staff and tried to strike me with its another end.

However, I was too cunning and too fast, despite my size, thanks to master Shifu's training.

I dodged the wolf's first couple attacks with the stuff: first one by pulling my stomach backwards and then another one by bowing down to the ground, and just in time before the wolf's staff's end reached to hit me to my head, which could have been strong enough to knock me to unconscious and thus leaving me vulnerable for these wolves.

And because of my sly dodge out of the way of his weapon, the only one thing(s) what that wolf managed to knock out instead of me... was the wolf's fellow wolves.

While trying to hit me in my head and failing with each try, the wolf swung his staff's end first to the right side and then to the left side of him, accidentally hitting in the faces of two of his fellow wolves, that were attempting to pass their fellow staff-wielder-wolf and attack me from both of my sides, knocking them both out one by one.

"Ha! You missed!" I taunted the wolf after his first failed strike that ended up to his fellow wolf's faces.

"Missed again!" I taunted him again after the second wolf was accidentally knocked down by him.

From my taunting enraged and angrily growling wolf attempted to strike me yet again with his staff, but this time by swinging his staff's end in the arch from downwards to upwards and towards my faces on their way...

...only to miss me once again as I shot myself up from the ground before the staff even reached to my faces.

"Is that all you got?!" I taunted the wolf after I had dodged his staff's end with the mere inches.

However, the wolf's staff's end had accidentally struck against from behind of my back at me attacking wolf's faces at the same time as I bounced up from the ground, knocking his head backwards thus causing him to lean too sharply backwards, that the wolf eventually lost its feet from beneath of him and fell on his back to the muddy ground, leaving him knocked out to the ground

"Come one, try now even." I taunted the wolf yet again.

My constant taunting and repeated dodging of the wolf's attacks started to get the wolf's nerves, as he let out the angry barks out of hing mouth and attempted for the last time to strike me with his staff's end with another lateral swing, targeting his attack towards my head once again.

He was angry and frustrated, thus his concentration was unbalanced. GOOD!

It was enough of playing games with this one, as I saw more wolves right on their way towards us, though mainly towards me, with the swords bared and in their paws.

The current wolf swung his staff with both of his paws over his head to his right side, before he pulled it with all strength in the lateral swing to the left and towards my head, only for me to react to this by bowing down out of the way of the wolf's staff, which only ended up to striking in the between of the eyes of another wolf that tried sneak behind of my back for attack, thus sending him to fly through of the backwards somersault over to the ground, knocked out.

And as the wolf was distracted by his surprised reaction out of realization that he had just hit his fellow wolf to the faces, I took to the opportunity by tossing the parts of my staff into air, after which I spun myself around to my right and performed my technique on the wolf.

THE BUTT-SLAP!

The wolf spotted me of course, but he could react to it only by pulling his staff back, which he held currently in the lateral position in his paws in front of his chest in defense, before my butt-slap technique struck to him, sending him to fly against one incoming wolf, knocking them both out off their feet and on their backs to the ground.

The next eight wolves attacked me with their blades and started repeatedly beating me with their blades.

I quickly took from the air my staff's two pieces and started to block with them the wolves attacks one by one quite easily... despite their advanced skills in swordsmanship.

After I had blocked several of their attacks, three straight and two lateral attacks with their swords, I delivered the kick onto one of them, sending him to fly against two another charging wolves, knocking them down as well.

And after them, I briefly tossed my staff's parts aside, yet again, and quickly grabbed from the next attacking wolf's paws wrapped around of his sword's handle to stop his attack in middle of his strike.

Then, after his attack had been stopped, I grabbed from his black uniform and lifted him up from the ground with my strength. Then I turned around, lifting the wolf over of my head and then I dropped him fast into the headbutt with from behind of me attacking wolf, knocking them both out.

The wolves then attempted to attack me from several directions, believing me to be unable to focus to all of them at once and making me an easy prey for them.

However, I lifted my left leg up and spun myself around at the same time while balancing on my right leg, kicking all three wolves to their faces one by one, knocking all them half-dizzy with each kick and while they were still but barely standing on their feet, I spun myself around once again, switching the positions of my legs, and I swung in the lateral arch my right leg towards one of them, whom I grabbed with my leg and swung him around of me for once, before I directed and sent him to fly against the two others and then all three to fall over to the muddy ground... knocking all three out instantly.

Two next wolves attacked me soon after I had dealt with the previous ones, but it did not require much from me to take them both down by delivering the simple and sweet double kick straight to their faces, knocking them out

Then I was attacked by fifteen wolves, which surrounded me from all of the directions.

It was time to show to them my another cool move.

Master Shifu had taught me once such of move, in which the warrior is able to deliver double kicks five times against ten opponents in the air before landing back on the feet to the ground

I saw it once when master Shifu used such of technique against the Warrior king of the Qidan, Temutai's troops when they attacked to the Valley of Peace's village and back then master Shifu managed to take at least ten buffalo warriors down with that sweet movement before he landed back on the ground.

It was so awesome! But, as master Shifu said, one of the most hardest Kung Fu techniques to be mastered.

Now it was my time to try such of move.

As the wolves attacked me all at the same time from every corner, I quickly jumped in the air and performed the technique.

However, unlike with master Shifu did, I only managed to perform three double kicks, taking down at least six wolves, before I landed back on the ground.

I managed only deliver three double kicks and Master Shifu managed to deliver ten double kicks before landing back on the ground?

No fair!

Well, what I'm here to complain.

As master Shifu had said, no movement will never succeed completely, if not the practice to do it often enough.

Even though I'm the Dragon Warrior and already the Bane of Tai Lung and the Master of Inner Peace and Chi, even I have, or maybe I had by then, still a lot to learn.

Then I snapped out from my thoughts, and with the realization that I lost temporarily my focus nearly costed me my life.

I quickly dodged out of the way the four wolves double-bladed glaive spears quite sharp blades, which were shaped to resemble the flames just like some of their swords blades, as they were about to land their spears from above of me exactly onto the spot where I was standing a moment ago.

My problems only increased when the rest five wolves took as their weapon of choice the spiky chain hammers, either one or two in the paws of one wolf, twirling them over of their heads or making with the such of cool stunts and other movements I've never seen before.

But the way in which those five wielded their chain hammers, a bit reminded me about one of my and the Five's oldest enemies - but who is also very rarely seen around, unlike other such of oldest enemies like Fenghuang, Temutai, Fung and his croc bandits and his gigantic cousin Lidong, Tong Fu, Junjie (ugh, I hate that fox!) and his leopards, Scorpion, Hundun and even Taotie and his son Bian Zao - Heilang and his wolves of Lin Kuei clan's skills of using the chain hammers in the battle.

And not just them, the skills in wielding the chain hammers also reminded me of Kai's own skills of wielding his of chain jade swords the the fights.

Ironically, some of them even had swords at the ends of the chains just like Kai had.

Also, the wolves with the double-bladed glaive spears made cool movements with their spears together, twirling the spears either with one or both of their paws without even focusing to it.

"Oh, hohohoo! Sweet!" I said with my usual fanboy tone.

However, loudly barking, these wolves attacked me all at once.

Without the weapons, I was only able to dodge their attacks from the both side.

The chain hammer wielding wolves tried to hit me fatally in the head with their hammers. Too familiar stuff from the previous fights with Heilang and his clan in the past...

The chain swords wielding wolves tried to cause to me a bad injures with their sword-blades in the ends of their chains by attempting to slash my stomach open with the one swung of their chain swords blade or then chop either my head or my limbs off if I wasn't careful enough.

These weapons brought some challenge, and the stormy night's darkness made it even more challenging, as the wolves were wielding their long chains like the swords... and the sword-blades in the ends of the chains followed their paws direction within five or ten seconds, thus making it hard to figure out that what kind of move the wolves were using before the metal chains and their swords would follow their lead.

But the double-bladed glaive spear wielding wolves were worse... though by their own way.

The chain weapons wielding wolves were in the another end of the small distance, which would allow them to use their weapons safely away from me, but the glaive spear wielding wolves were able to come to the close distance. And by using their highly advanced physical skills and the skills of using the glaive spears, they repeatedly bounced around of me in the air and attempted to launch with both blades of their weapons the brutal attacks on my.

Both the different type of weapons wielding wolves and their attacks really brought the challenge for my concentration while trying to dodge or fend off both type of weapons... and trying to avoid myself being stabbed, slashed, amputated or decapitated at the same time.

I also noticed that their strength mixed with their super sharp blades was able to slice the thick tree trunk in two with the one swung, as I saw after dodging one of their attacks.

"Man, and I though Tigress was able to do that with her claws and with the one swing." I said, before I had to dodge again their doubled attacks.

Using what I've learned from master Shifu about fending off the attacks with the staffs or spears, I eventually stopped that useless dodging and started to fight back by blocking with my arms, fists and kicks their attacks with the glaive spears while still trying to avoid of getting hit from the chained weapons and at the same time watching out their glaive spears sharp edges of the blades.

I can't continue doing this forever when there was more and more wolves starting to approach me from everywhere with the lust of killing, even though I have not even yet got myself rid of these previous ones.

They started to corner me and my strength was beginning slowly to running out.

Then I got a quite cunning idea.

"Is that all you got, because I feel that I'm fighting the punch of amateurs that are not capable to hit even a small fly." I taunted.

The wolves with the glaive spears attacked me, trying to hit me in the area of my throat and belly, which I, however, either dodged by bowing down or fending them off with my limbs with ease... after getting somewhat used to their attacks.

"Hey, have you guys ever even been in a fight before?" I asked with the taunting tone again.

Then the chain hammer wielding wolves tossed their hammers towards me. However, I managed to dodge them by jumping backwards, landing on my paws and with the strong effort with my arms I landed on the top of the rock, nick in time dodging the chain swords, which hit to the side of the rock in top of which I was standing.

"Oh, come on! Is that you call attack?" I asked, once again with the taunting voice.

As the glaive spear wielding wolves attacked me again and I kept dodging and fending off their attacks... though between of their attacks, I gave the quick slap or a small punch in the faces of the wolves in order to annoy them even more.

I just hoped that I am able to keep doing this long enough before my strength runs completely out, and thought of being exhausted in the middle of the wolf pack did not really pleased me.

"Missed!"

"Oops!"

"No, no, not even close!"

"Missed again."

"WHOA! That almost touched me!"

"Oh, please!"

"C'mon!"

"Try! I'm starting to get bored." I teased them.

I even jumped from middle of them to stood and balance on my hand over one of their heads, and I kept jumping above of their heads by bouncing from the head onto another head while dodging their glaive spears swings and also of course watch out their comrades chain weapons by kicking them off from their fly.

Because of my taunting and my behavior, I sensed that the wolves were starting to get even more annoyed and even angrier, judging from the deep angry growling, which escaped from their mouths.

Eventually, I jumped off from above their heads.

"WEIGHS LIKE A BUTTERFLY, BUT STING LIKE THE MASTER BEE! WHO'S THE BEST ONE! WHO'S THE BEST ONE! THE BEST ONE IS ME!" I cheered.

The chain weapons wielding wolves shortened the chains for the close combat and charged at me with them, along with the spear wielding ones.

While dodging and blocking their attacks, I clearly saw that they were the first ones whose strength was starting to run out, because of their a bit slower and tired attacks, which were childishly easy to dodge or block before the strike.

"Alright, I see clearly that you guys are just getting sloppy." I said to the wolves, who just continued their attacks.

"Will... you... SHUT... YOUR... MOUTH, PANDA!" One of then barked angrily while trying to strike me with the spiky chain hammer, which I dodged with ease.

"What's the matter, guys? Does my talking bother you? Am I distracting you guys somehow? Making you guys lose your focus? Messing up your concentration? Finally getting on your nerves, perhaps?" I taunted while dodging and blocking their attacks.

"Or is it the fact that you're beginning to get frustrated with the fact that no matter how you try, you're not capable to hit even a small fly ... not to mention the big fat panda, and still you have not even touched me."

"I mean, c'mon! Are you wolves... with the some kind of martial arts I've never seen or heard about before... or are you bunch of goofy clumsy clowns... escaped from the theater for the little children?"

Now, my last taunt for these nine wolves really snapped them out from their cool and angrily and savagely barking they lunged at me the one thing in their mind... TO KILL!

"Come on, guys! Catch me if you can, you slow slugs!" I taunted as I jumped backwards to get away from them, heading to the bamboo tree right behind of me.

The wolves tried to strike me with their chain hammers and swords, but I successfully managed to dodge every strike.

I even kicked with the double kick a couple of wolves out of my way while being upside down in middle of the jump backwards.

Finally I made it to the tree and I jumped on to it.

Thanks to my weight, the bamboo tree bent downward under of my weight so that it's top nearly touched the ground.

As I moved towards the top of the bamboo tree, the wolves followed right behind on me onto the bamboo's thick and flexible trunk, so angry at me because of my taunts that they did not even know one thing...

...that I'd managed to lure them into my trap.

The chain weapons wielding wolves tried the one last time to strike me with their spiky hammers and swords. However, I kicked their blades and hammers aside one by one. And as I did so, I managed at the same time to cause the weapons chains to wrap themselves around of the bamboo tree.

Angrily barking, the wolves tried to pull the chains free from the bamboo's trunk.

Then, I whistled for them to get their attention.

They all lifted their heads, looking at me while I took the triumphant grin on my faces.

"Have a nice flight, guys. Well, at least half of you." I said and jumped off from the tree.

Judging from the wolves confused looks on their faces, which soon turned to expression of too-late-realization, the wolves realized that they've been lured into the trap, because they were standing on the bamboo tree, which was bent down by the panda's weight.

But not anymore... and the wolves unfortunately happens to be much more slender and thin-shaped, thus much more lighter than pandas.

Once I'd jumped off from the trunk of bamboo tree, the topside of the bamboo tree immediately rocketed from the surface of the ground to upright, sending four of the wolves, those double-bladed glaive spears wielding ones, to fly into the air and far away from the area.

But with the rest of the wolves, whose weapons chains were still wrapped to stuck around of the bamboo tree and from which they were still holding firmly, plus that they had attached themselves into their chain weapon's chains another end, were quite violently tossed all around and smashed against the ground, rocks and other bamboo trees by from the side to another swinging bamboo tree.

The wolves were then, after ten times lasting violent tossing around and against the ground, left hanging from their chains wrapped around of their wrists like the bunch of battered practice dummies.

My plan worked perfectly.

Thanks to my a bit annoyingly teasing tone.

I once had a used to use my a bit annoying and non-stop-talking mouth to get Tigress to become frustrated and a bit angry during of sparring between of me and her back in the training courtyard, so that she would easily lose her own concentration, which would led her to make hasty decisions and attacks as I wished... and then, I was able to defeat her with ease.

And seemingly, these wolves aren't exception.

But also it too has its own limits, because I have more than enough the knowledge of the fact how easily Tigress can get angry, and maybe one day something will really snap inside of her that she may fall further under of her own instinctive aggression and the blind anger... and probably, leading her seriously to injure someone.

Well, soon I quit permanently from teasing and annoying Tigress during of the training time, because not only leading Tigress to fall under of her blind anger but, as master Shifu warned me, it almost threatened to open a gap between us and break our friendship and teamwork, making two of us like strangers to each others and without our teamwork... easy prey even for so stupidest bandits like Fung and his crocs.

And I've already saw it.

I remember that too well.

Well, I had not time to remember those times in the past, I had works to do.

There was still over two dozen of wolves left.

I quickly picked my staff's parts into my paws again and turned them into the three-section-staff.

With my staff in the form of the three-section-staff, my fighting style with the such of toy a bit changed, unlike when I use my weapon either as staff or like the swords.

When the wolves, at least three of them at first, attacked me, I needed only to block either with the three-section-staff or with my limbs their couple straight or hook kicks and punch-attacks plus several sword attacks from every wolf I faced.

Then I made my move, and of course, with some additions.

While handling the three-section-staff quite skillfully with one paw, I did two strikes against every wolf I faced.

Strike one; disarm the wolf.

Strike two; knock him out for good.

Well, I a bit added a thing or two in that part.

And for reason...

Because there was more wolves coming, my strength were running out... and worse than that.

I was probably already late from the time when I was supposed to be back in the Jade Palace, and now I've once again... though this time unintentionally, disobeyed master Shifu's orders do not engage the wolves in the battle if the odds in numbers are highly against me.

 _Oh, man! master Shifu's gonna kill me for this._

So that's why I had to get rid of these wolves and return back to the Jade Palace and fast.

So, I knocked the wolves one by one to the heads with my three-section-staff shape of my staff, but not so hard that could knock them completely out. Just a bit dizzy, because I needed them for while.

I knocked first one of them with the lateral strike to the left side of his head to make him to turn to the right side before I swung my three-section-staff backwards and swung it against the same wolf's stomach and hard, making him to yelp out of pain and bow down in pain. And then, I kicked the wolf aside, sending him to fly aside to the muddy ground.

To the next one, after knocking him to dizzy, I quickly knelt down and spun myself around, during of which I extended my right leg out and tripped the wolf with the strong tripping sung directed to the wolf's legs. And then I quickly stood up and kicked the wolf with my left leg, sending him too to fly to the feet of the another two attacking wolves, and towards them against the ground rapidly rolling wolf tripped all of them in the process.

With the third one, who was accompanied with the fourth one, I needed to knock with my own both of their own staves out of his paws into the air with two quick and from down upwards directed straight swing. And after that, I then jumped towards him, landed at first on my paws to the ground, coiled my legs against my stomach and leaned my lower body backwards, before I bounced with my paws off the ground again and backwards and towards the surprised wolves, after which I extended my legs and delivered the double-kicks straight to the wolves faces, sending them both to fly against the four other wolves behind of them, knocking all of them at once off their feet and over to the ground.

And then, I caught both of their staves from the air into my paws, after which I tossed one of them to spin rapidly around and in the lateral position through of the air and towards two wolves, who reacted to towards them through of the air incoming and rapidly laterally spinning staff, that slipped to the between of the wolves, and knocked them both out by striking one of its heads straight to the one wolf's eye sight and another head to the back of the wolf's head.

Then I turned to the three next towards me charging wolves, and I quickly threw the remaining staff from my paw into the paws of the wolf in the middle of the trio.

And with that as a distraction, I bounced into the air and towards the trio, twisting my left hip... recoiling my left leg... and then extending it towards the wolf in the middle, delivered the kick to the staff, that at the same time knocked the wolf off its feet and to fly backwards.

And during of the wolf's fall to the ground, the staff's ends struck to the wolf's fellow wolf companions stomachs and pulled them along with their fellow wolf over to the ground.

Then, I was attacked by the rest of the wolves all at once.

Using my incredible speed, for the panda, I dodged nearly every punch, every kick and every attack with the sword they delivered on me.

Dodging the next wolf's lateral sword attack by jumping into the air, making the somersault over his head and landing to behind of his back, though I performing in the mid-air the straight kick to the wolf's back, sending him to fly with the muzzle ahead against to the muddy ground...

...grabbing from the next one's wrists and twisting it once to make the wolf to release his grip from the handle of his weapon in pain. And after which I pulled the wolf from his left wrist towards me, until I bounced into the air, made a quick barrel roll over the wolf's back, after which I let go of the wolf's left arm's wrist and rolled on my feet to the ground in the another side of the wolf, but not before performing in the process three hook kicks beneath of three next attacking wolves chins one by one and sending them to fall over on their backs to the ground, knocked - or more likely kicked - to unconscious...

...after which I grabbed from the wolf's right wrist with both of my paws and lifted him off the ground, after which I swung him around of myself a couple times before I then tossed him against two other towards me charging wolves, whom the wolf I tossed at them dragged with him to his flight, which was soon cut/stopped when the trio landed quite roughly against the vertical side of the large boulder on their way, knocking them all out.

And hen, I prepared myself to finish off the last eleven wolves.

I charged towards the ten wolves, who all attacked one by one to me, though each one of them had the only two-three second long distance between of each others.

At first, I bounced up into the flight towards the first attacker, during of flight I once again twisted my hips, recoiled my right leg and extended as I was about to collide with the wolf, who had already lifted his sword above of his head in attempt to land its blade fatally onto me, only to receive from me the a snappy kick to his stomach that knocked him off his feet and over to the ground.

And as I landed on my feet to the ground, I bounced once again forwards and collided with my right shoulder ahead against the next attacking wolf with the large spiked mace, whom I knocked off his feet and over to the ground as well.

The third one attempted to attack me from behind by chopping my head off with his dual swords, though I sensed him incoming already and bowed down into squatting position to dodge his swords blades right at the moment as his blades were incoming from both of the sides towards my neck. And after that I bounced back up, though I at the same time spun myself around to the left and swung at first my rapidly spinning three-section-staff with my left paw towards the wolf's fingers wrapped around of his blades, making him to yelp out of pain and drop his weapons, before I performed another snappy hook kick that got him to fly off his feet and onto his back to the ground.

And after that, I stayed briefly in the squatting position until the next wolf attacked me, this time with the spear.

I grabbed with my right hand from the another loose end of my three-section-staff before I leaned backwards and onto my left knee and managed to avoid the wolf's spear's tip, which the wolf had indented either to slash my faces in half or stab it through of my head. And after that, I swung with my right hand my staff in the arch upwards so quickly, that my weapon's loose end knocked the spear off from the wolf's right paws, thus partially getting him to let down his guard. And using this opportunity as my advantage, I lifted my right leg up, coiled it and quickly extended it to the wolf's stomach, sending him to fly on his back to the ground as well.

And after that, two next wolves attempted to attack me from both the front side and from behind with their spear and swords.

However, as the wolf with the spear attacked from front of me with the intention to stab me with the spear to my stomach and the second one bounced up into the air behind of me, lifting his dual swords up with the intention to slice my head in half from behind, I myself bounced up into the air and performed the somersault, in which I got the wolf got from the air with my right extended leg while I kept my left coiled beneath of me. I swung the wolf over of me before I sent him to fly against the wolf with the spear, knocking them both down at the same time.

And then, there was still five wolves left.

After my somersault technique, I had landed in the squatting position to the ground, which one of the wolves attempted to use as his advantage and attacked me with the glaive spear. He bounced towards me, lifting his weapon above of his head before pulling it forwards and then downwards, attempting to land the glaive's blade onto my neck and decapitate me for good. But, however, I sensed this incoming and quickly bounced back onto my feet, avoiding once again narrowly getting decapitated by this wolf and his glaive, which the wolf sunk to the ground instead of my neck. And then, I performed an another hook kick with my left leg, which I directed to the wolf's faces, sending him to fly in the arch across the air and aside.

And after that, as a next wolf with the axe was about to attack me from my left side and lifted his heavy weapon above of his head to split my own, I lifted my three-section staff above of my head as the wolf pulled his axe over his head and down towards me, only to be blocked by my three-section-staff, after which I performed another hook kick with the same leg to beneath of the wolf's chin, getting him to release the hold from his weapon and knocking him aside.

And after that, I turned to the right - and narrowly out of my advanced instincts - I narrowly dodged towards me thrown and with the high speed flying sword blade in the end of the metal chain, that was lethally targeted onto my back, by leaning my upper body backwards...

...and after which I grabbed out of instincts from the metal chain with my left paw, and almost immediately knelt down into the squatting position once again as the another wolf swung his blade in the lateral swing downwards and towards my head, trying to split my head from my right temple to the left corner of my chin. And after that, I swung with my right paw my three-section-staff towards his legs and managed to wrap it around of his left...

...and after that, I stood back up and pulled my three-section-staff around of the wolf's left leg upwards, thus causing the wolf to perform unintentionally the backward somersault, which I used as my advantage by lifting my right leg up, coiling it and then extending it to the wolf's back, sending him on his stomach to the muddy ground.

And after that wolf was done, I pulled from the metal chain with the raw force to my left side, thus pulling with the chains the next wolf that was holding with the thick grip from the another end of the chains. The wolf flied through the air towards me, and I prepared myself by lifting up and coiling my right leg once again, until I extended my leg upwards and kicked the wolf to the stomach, sending him to fly aside.

And then, when the next and the last wolf with the dual blades attacked me, I grabbed from both ends of my three-section staff and prepared myself for the incoming foe.

The wolf attempted to first to split my head in half by swinging his right paws sword in the vertical swing downwards and towards my head, only for his blows to be blocked by my three-section-staff, as I lifted it upwards in front of my head.

The strike was a quite hard and heavy as the wolf's serpentine blade's sharp edge landed onto the middle section of my staff, nearly causing me to bent my arms downwards and even closer of my faces. The strike most surely left a notch to the middle section of my staff, but probably just a small and minor one, as my Bo-staff's round surface has been reinforced nearly to the stone-hard level to withstand the strikes of sword that could easily slice the wooden staves in half/pieces.

The wolf attempted then to slash my right side my swinging his left paw's sword in the lateral swing towards my right side, which I also blocked by lowering my three-section-staff in front of the incoming blade and blocking the blade's advance.

And then, the wolf spun himself around to his left and pulled his swords with him, swinging them laterally around of himself and directing them to strike to my unguarded left side with the lethal force.

However, I too spun myself around to my right and switched my weapons position by the way, that my right paw was holding my weapon from upside and my left paw was holding it from downside... it was due to my next and final trick in this long lasted fight, after I had blocked my enemy's blades.

And after that, I released my left paw from my three-section-staff and pulled with my right paw my weapon over the wolf's blocked blades, and after that I swung my weapon's loose end straight to the wolf's faces, thus causing him to turn to his left from the impact of my three-section-staff's loose end to his faces. And after that, I lifted my left leg once again into the snappy hook kick to the wolf's back and knocked him over to the ground.

And then, it was all over.

I had done it.

All seventy wolves... were knocked out and down.

And I was still standing, in one pieces and unharmed... well, except a very few bruises and small cuts from their chained weapons and swords blades all around of my body and faces from the wolves' punches and kicks, which I was unable to block and knock away nick in time.

However, I was happy that it was over at last... and just nick in time.

I clearly felt the pure and deep exhaustion slowly taking over my body.

This struggle had almost spent all my strength, as I had used most of it to defeat all of these wolves.

Quite weird, because I've never before felt myself so exhausted, that I was barely able to stay up. Probably because I've used to fight with the Furious Five in the fights, where we all share our unbreakable teamwork and also the number of the enemies.

But I had no time to cheer my victory, nor even rest, 'cause I had to return back to the Jade Palace... and brace myself for the upcoming waves of scoldings and for some kind of punishment from master Shifu... probably for that very same old punishment; a very early wake up in the morning, no breakfast and all-day workout without breaks.

 _Man, such of punishment is to me much worse than seeing the nightmares about the world invading army of Jiang shi._

But as soon as I compiled my staff and started to head back to the Jade Palace...

...I felt like someone was still watching me.

I immediately stopped in my place and started to look around of me to see.

I only saw bamboos, bamboos, bamboos, bamboos, bamboos, the pack of the wolves knocked out on the ground, bamboos, bamboos, bamboos, bamboos and bamboos but nothing else.

But then I got it.

 **TO BE CONTINUE...**


	8. 8: Po VS Heilang and Shadow Crowns

****CHAPTER 8. PO VS HEILANG AND THE SHADOW CROWNS  
****

 **ENJOY THE READING!**

PO'S POV

There was also the huge flat topped rocks all around of me in this bamboo woods.

So, if I had been watched by someone, they probably were right above of me.

I raised my head and eyes to look at the edges of the rocks.

And I was right.

I saw on the edge of one of them standing about five wolves, who all stared down at me.

 _Just a five? C'mon! Is that all what they got?_ I though in my mind, because despite my exhaustion, I was still in the shape of taking five wolves down quite easily. But this was slowly started to get bored if I had to fight five wolves at the same time.

However, I did not paid much attention to them, because I had to get back to the Jade Palace at once.

So, I just ignored the wolves and continued my long way home.

However, even these five wolves weren't gonna let me get away from this so easily.

Instead, they jumped off the edge of the rock and landed into the line straight front of me.

They sudden appearance in front of me startled me so, that I quickly jumped backwards and took my self-defense position.

As I observed these wolves, I suddenly saw something familiar on them. Especially on their leader.

Judging from their leader's dark armor he wore, the helmet on his face and stitched left I, it did not took from me long to recognize their leader, the old foe whom, as I said before, we encounter a very rarely than any other villains we encounter a very often.

And their leader was, who else than...

"Heilang. Long time no seen." I said, staring at the wolf with the hostile feelings... until I also spotted Lord Shen's symbol, the flaming blood-red sun, in Heilang's chest armor and in his shoulder guards and his helmet.

So, this told me that Heilang and his wolf bandits had either formed the alliance with Lord Shen a long time ago as the most of the wolves have done, or then he had took over Lord Shen's wolf army's remains after his defeat... turning the army into the gigantic bunch of wolf bandits.

Whatever the reason was, I was ready to take this wolf down as I've already done so twice in the past... with the help of the others of course.

"Dragon Warrior, we meet again!" Heilang snarled, as he drew out of his sword and his wolves crapped to their chain hammers and curved swords.

I once again took my staff in my paws and turned it back into three-section staff again.

And with the mood of to show my opponents some movements I've learned with the three-section staff, despite my exhaustion, I started to performance some handwork and some movements with the three-section-staff, which in my paws were the mix of the handling of both Bo-staff and Nunchucks.

I first started my performance by spinning three-section-staff rapidly with my right paw in my right side, before I pulled my still spinning staff in front of my and kept spinning it in front of me, until I grabbed from one of its loose ends with my right paw and pulled the staff's another loose end first to upwards before I quickly pulled it back to downwards, making it to strike the ground in the manner of the whip.

And then, I swung the loose end of my staff over my right arm and grabbed from it with my left paw from beneath of my right arm.

And next, I pulled my three-section-staff from beneath of my right arm and started with the rapid handwork and pace to swing my three-sectional weapon a couple times from this side to another and from my paw to paw around of my waist and then alternately swing it from paw to paw a four times over of both of my shoulders and arms to either side... performing in front of Heilang and his wolves the same wielding movements as master Shifu had taught me, though with the nunchucks back then, to show to the wolves what new I've learned so far since our last encounter.

"You liked it?" I said as I spun my three-section-staff with my right paw in next to my faces, before I eventually finished my performance by grabbing from one of around in the air spinning loose ends of my staff and swinging the staff's free loose end under of my right arm pit and stretched out my left paw towards the wolves, signaling the wolves to come and get me either one by one or all for one, it does not matter, because I had much more better things to do right now like go home.

"Now, let's see what kind a new movements and tricks you've learned since our last encounter, Heilang." I added.

However, this made surprisingly Heilang and his minions to chuckle at me maliciously.

"Not quite new ones, Dragon Warrior, more likely the old stuff... with some old toys you remember well I guess."

Heilang then took into his paws something, which he handed to the others of his clan.

I was completely surprised after I recognized what those things were.

"SHADOW CROWNS?!"

The crowns that allow their wearers to become invisible in the others eyes.

How those artifacts had ended up into Heilang's gangs dirty paws... once again.

"Surprised, Dragon Warrior? We played with you and your friends with these awesome things once in our last encounter. Well, I will not bore you by explaining that how did we got these things into our paws once again... now when we've found out of nowhere the second chance and a new desire to play with them again."

"Unfortunately, you happen to be that "chance." Heilang said laughing maliciously as the bandit leader lifted his own crown above of his head, before he finally it onto his head. And once the crown was onto Heilang's head, his followers followed their leader's example by doing the very same thing one by one...

... and all of them just disappeared from my eye sight within the mere seconds.

"Let's play blind man's buff, boys, shall we, Dragon Warrior?" Heilang laughed as he shut himself and everything was silent.

"Hey, unfair!" I complained out of frustration after their disappearance... but I also grew to very nervous after they disappeared.

Under of the powers of those blasted crowns, judged from my previous experience about those objects, Heilang and his wolves were able to sneak behind me silently and undetected, able to see me and even punch me so many times and to wherever they liked, but I wasn't able to see them nor even to punch them back.

And that if anything was so annoying and totally unfair.

But my frustration started very soon to grow to very nervous

I kept looking to everywhere around of me, searching with my eyes some kind of canine-sized and -shaped void figures moving in the air, but this darkness and heavy rain made it more difficult that what it was both in daylight and in the bright night, and I had no any idea from where they were about to attack me and when they were about to attack.

I, of course heard, some steps moving in the rainwater puddles, judged by one by one to be heard splats of the water, but they were mostly covered by the heavy rain and the super-loud thunder up in the stormy sky, so hearing them coming was difficult and made me even more nervous about the situation.

Until it finally happened, totally unexpectedly...

"OUCH!" I yelled out of pain, after one of them hand sneakily sneaked right next of me and punched me into my face, and hard enough that it caused me to fall hastily backwards and nearly fall on my back to the ground. However, I barely managed to keep my balance.

"Oh, I'm so sorry if that didn't hurt, flabby panda!" I heard Heilang laughing at me mockingly from nowhere.

Of course it had to be him who delivered that very first punch on me, I though as I rubbed my sore cheek.

But very soon when I stood up, I felt another hard punch in the right side of my cheek, provoking me to spun myself around and lift in the process my right leg up and I targeted my leg in the lateral swing to the direction, from where the punch had come, as an attempt to kick the invisible wolf. But all what my leg merely kicked was the empty air like there was nobody.

And then, I felt the third snappy punch that landed hard onto the back of my head, provoking me to turn around and swung my both into the fists squeezed paws in left hook and right straight to the backside of me, hitting only the mere air once again.

And then I felt the snappy lateral kick's hard and painful impact in above of my cross back, provoking me to turn around once again and repeatedly, though quite pointlessly, swing my fists in the empty air.

And then I felt two, no, four very fiery kicks.

I felt the impacts of two straight kicks performed from the air landing hard onto my back, and the kicks were strong enough to make me an imbalance and send me to wobble hastily forwards that I nearly fell with my head ahead on my stomach to the ground.

However, I managed to once again to regain my balance... though just barely.

However, once I regained my balance, I felt then a very hard lateral kick against my abdomen that nearly burst all air outta me. And within the seconds after that kick, to make the pain even worse, one of those invisible wolves performed the straight kick targeted AT MY GROINS! And that if anything felt really painful.

"YEOUCH! MY GROINS!" I moaned weakly under the heavy pain.

As the massive and doubled waves of pain from two sources took over my body, I collapsed onto my knees to the ground while holding with both of my paws from my sore stomach and groins.

The waves of pain got me to bow my upper body and head downwards, until I felt another hard hook kick in middle of my face.

And the kick I got was strong enough to send me to fly in the arc across the sky some distance from the place where I stood a moment ago.

And to cause even more pain, I had to land after my air flight with my head ahead against the smooth side of the large boulder, that located right in my landing spot, after which I landed on my back to the ground and next to the boulder.

And when I climbed up to sit to the ground, I lifted my paws up and placed them onto my head, which ached so hard that I felt like somebody had loudly played the dozens of gongs right next to my ears or that I just got my head hammered with the one hundred chain hammers of Lin Kuei wolves. And the embrace of my severe headaches and the massive pain of waves caused me to feel like I was soon gonna throw up.

I then slowly climbed back on my feet, despite my ill feelings from the impact of my head against the boulder and that that I felt myself a bit dizzy, but also knowing that Heilang and his Lin Kuei clan's wolves will very soon attack me again... unexpectedly and undetected under of the powers of those crowns.

And, as I expected, I once again felt a really hard lateral kick hitting hard against the left side of my head, causing me to land with my faces ahead onto the ground and slid from the force of the kick along the ground, due to the thick layer of slippery mud in the ground because of the rain, which was only stopped as I hit my head yet again against another boulder... thus worsening even more my already worse headache.

"Reveal yourselves and fight like the pandas!" I cried in frustration, as I stood up on my feet again, while stroking with my paw my sore forehead and shaking off from my coat the thick layer of mud.

"Oh! Of course. How foolishly said. I completely forgot that you are not pandas, but the wolves." I said as I slapped my paw against my forehead.

"A sharp observation, you double-blind panda!"I heard Heilang saying this with the mocking tone yet again...

...before the one-eyed wolf bandit suddenly, albeit briefly of course, appeared right in front of my eyes.

"And speaking of fighting, you asked for it!" Heilang said...

...as he used that momentarily lasting time of revealing himself by twisting his right hip, lifting up and recoiling his right leg and then extending it straight forwards into the hard kick, that he delivered straight to my nose.

His kick sent me to fly again across the air and through the bamboo trees, snapping dozens of them in half on the way like I was into the air launched and unstoppable fleshly boulder, until I landed roughly on my back to the muddy ground in another side of the bamboo woods and slid along the mud layer the rest of my flight to near of the edge of the high cliffs.

And the below of which, through of the high drop below the edge, was flowing a very swift river... which was at the moment flooding with the full force, due to the heavy rain of this thunderstorm.

"Ow! Not my nose again!" I moaned in pain, while stroking with my paw my sore nose. It took a very bad hit yet again.

 _Okay! Enough was enough!_

I had to fight them, find the way to beat Heilang and his wolves, even though I wasn't able to see them.

Unfortunately, I'd lost my staff back in the open area, so I had to use the pieces of the bamboo trees, which my fly through of them had cut them in half.

I wiped the extra rain water off my face from bothering my eyes, as I stood up with the pieced of bamboo sticks in my paws.

Soon I started to hear the splats in the rainwater puddles, but I didn't saw their void figures.

They were near, too close.

As the splats under of their steps in the rain water pools and in the piles of wet mud started to get even closer and closer, I started to rapidly swing both of my bamboo sticks to the air while delivering also some hook and straight punches and kicks all around to try to hit those invisible wolves.

The result was unsuccessful, nearly even pointless to me, because only one thing what I hit was merely the empty air, while Heilang and the wolves both untouched and undetected sneaked all around of me and started to deliver the hard punches and kicks all around of me over again and again, again, again, again, again and again.

And as I got beaten by those invisible wolves, I got repeatedly the several hard and rather painful punches and kicks from every direction to my stomach, to both of my flank sides, to my knees and to my back, but mostly to my faces and to the areas of my nose, eyes, jaws and both of my cheeks, leaving the punch of bruises all over of me.

And every bowl they delivered on me provoked me to turn around to the direction from where the blows had came from, and I started to swing both my fists and the bamboo-sticks in the lateral arches from side to side to hit something solid, though I just hit pointlessly the mere empty air in front of me, until I suddenly and unexpectedly got another or even several hard and painful punches or kicks from completely different direction or even from behind to my unguarded back.

This told me that Heilang and his invisible wolves were toying with me by luring my attention with the hard and painful impact of each blow to elsewhere, while others used this as their advantage every time when my eye avoided or when I let my guard down by sneaking behind of my guard and striking to my unguarded spots.

That unfair technique gave me even more bruises and started to frustrate me even more.

"What's the matter, flabby blind panda? You can't hit what you can't see? Such of pity, because as you know, we have no such of limits! Thanks to these cool and useful crowns!" I heard Heilang saying with the insulting and taunting tone.

I roared out of great frustration because of those such of insults and my inability to fight back them, which provoked me to even double my attacks.

Still, unsuccessful.

"Pathetic, panda." Heilang mocked as he delivered another hard punch to my face, causing one of my teeth to fly out from my mouth from the impact.

However, I still continued fighting them back desperately, even though I knew too well that it was useless, especially against the invisible ones.

"C'mon, Heilang! Is that what you coward got! Come to get me!" I shouted in frustration.

"Alright, alright, panda. You asked for it." Heilang said.

And, unexpectedly and undetected, Heilang sneaked behind of me and knocked me hard to my head with the thick bamboo-stick, that sent me into half- unconscious state.

And then, he dug his claws painfully into my back before I could reach to fall on my kneels to the ground, and then he lifted me up from the ground and over of his head.

Well, because Heilang was at the invisible, everyone in the presence would think that a big panda like me floating in the air would be a strange sight, though none of them wouldn't ever suspect me of being carried by the invisible wolf bandit that was walking beneath of me while carrying me above of his head, due to the power of the Shadow Crown.

And then, Heilang stopped to the edge of the cliff and lifted me a bit higher while staring down to the flooding river in the bottom of the chasm.

And it was the moment when I realized, much to my horror, that what Heilang was about to do with me.

"Let's see how well the Dragon Warrior can fly." Heilang chuckled tauntingly.

"Oh, no. Oh, no! OH, NO! You won't! You can't!" I shouted, almost in panic.

"Yes, yes I can!" Heilang declared and eventually tossed me over the cliff.

"NOOOOOOOO!" I cried as I fel down to the chasm.

And as I fell with the high speed downwards, I heard clearly Heilang and his wolves laughing maliciously and triumphantly as they removed the crowns reappeared into visible forms and observed over the cliff my fall down... tauntingly waving their paws as goodbye to me.

If I had the Chi's power to create the dragon avatar around of me like I had back in the Spirit Real during of my fight against Kai, I would have saved myself from this and fly like the dragon in the air... but that same thing was never gonna work in the mortal realm.

I was doomed!

Or at least they believed so.

While I fell down, I spotted that there was two bamboo trees, which were growing in such of stunted place of growth such like the flat edge that was pushing out from the stone wall, and which was fortunately located right beneath of me and my free fall.

And with this small but still encouraging chance of survival from the certain death, I performed the somersault to move myself into the perfect standing position so that I could land on my feet to their trunks, which wasn't an easy task at all, due the free fall which disturbed my attempts to keep my balance.

And after which, I narrowly and barely managed to land directly onto the bamboo trees trunks, though I so badly hoped that the bamboo trees weren't too weak to hold my whole weight... neither too slippery from the pouring rain water of this thunderstorm.

And as I landed on them, while struggling with my balance on uncontrollably swaying and swinging trunks, my weight suddenly got the bamboo trees to bend down.

However, I was nearly lose my balance and fell off from the trunks because the bamboo trees were, as I though, slippery from the pouring rain water... and to make it worse, as the trunks bend down under of my weight, I started to slid towards their tips and to the chasm.

However, within the second, the trees had bent down enough... voltage and the blades were filled to the brim with the tension like the bow's tensioned string.

Well, that was good!

"Time for a little surprise for those dumb wolves, with the Dragon Warrior's style." I whispered to myself as I rubbed my paws together excited.

I cannot wait to see their faces when they see, as Heilang kind of urged me, flying back towards them.

And then, I lifted my weight from the bamboo tree's trunks by jumping upwards...

...and the trees rocketed me upwards and towards the edge where the wolves were still standing.

"YAAAA-HOOOO!" I cried as I flied through the air space of the chasm with the high speed upwards.

I could swear that I saw Heilang's eyes widening by shock and confusion as they spotted me flying straight towards of him, my fist right ahead of my head.

"SURPRISE!" I cried that it echoed in the air space of the chasm.

And s I was about to fly over Heilang, I quickly performed Tigress' Tahlia Leap technique by leaning sharply backwards into the backward somersault in the air and delivered towards Heilang the remarkably hard hook kick straight beneath of his chin, sending him to fly in a arch through the air a small distance away from the edge.

And at the same time as I flied over the edge of the cliff and above of Heilang's band of the wolf bandits, the gigantic and bright thunderbolt struck behind of my back, creating the massive shadow of me upon of Heilang's wolves, seemingly shockingly surprising them with the awesome sight of me, before I eventually landed behind of them.

"Get ready to FEEL THE THUNDER!" I shouted as I turned around to the wolves.

But, much to my surprise, I realized that the wolves weren't anymore in sight.

 _They must have put the crowns back on their heads and disappeared once again._

"Nice, once again blind man's buff. I hate that game!" I muttered in annoyance, knowing that I was once again gonna get butt-kicked by those invisible wolves.

And much to my greatest annoyance, Heilang had disappeared too.

 _Why those wolves just do not come out and fight fairly?!_

Well, complaining the unfairness of this situation is pointless, because if I do not come up with some kind of idea, I'm gonna get myself whacked over again... and again... and again... and again.

And here we go again.

I started to hear some splats under of four pairs of incoming steps in some of the rainwater puddles right in front of me.

 _Just four? Where's Heilang?_

At least four wolves were coming towards me, but due to the loudly pouring rain and the recently sounded loud thunder, it was hard to say that from where Heilang's wolves were coming... and that where Heilang himself was lurking.

I needed the some way to beat them so I would be able to continue my way back to the Jade Palace... and (sigh) prepare myself to face master Shifu's and everybody else's disappointed and scolding looks on their faces.

Even now, with the knowledge that I was already late, I could see their disappointed and scolding scowls on their faces in my eyes.

But the biggest question was, how I ever was gonna disband these wolfie-guys whom I was unable to see... and less to even touch and hurt them.

Until, it was this moment when I actually I remembered something what master Shifu's told me during of his lessons in the past.

 _FLASHBACK._

I was back then in the Training Hall preparing myself for that day's lesson with master Shifu.

He had back then gave to me not only the bamboo staff, but he had also given to me the black bandana, which he had ordered me to tie around of my head and over my eyes.

I was back then totally excited about of wearing the bandana and then be pretend to be like the ninjas, so I tied it around of my head and over my eyes, only to find out that there was no eye holes in the bandana.

The bandana had covered my eyes completely.

And even if I tried to take it off - to make the eye holes to it - I felt every time the painful strike against my paw's back, just like if I had been whipped with a staff, which was immediately followed the long line of scolding-like reminders from master Shifu that this was Kung Fu, not ninjutsu, and that such of, sometimes but usually dishonorable, shadow warriors differs greatly from the honorable Kung Fu warriors.

Master Shifu also explained to me that it is possible that every Kung Fu warrior may occasionally encounter during their lifetime the shadow warriors, who are mostly used to dishonorably attacks and the assassinate attempts, which they usually performs from the ambush, from the darkest shadows... and even under of the ability to be invisible.

"And that's why the each warrior most to learn to use their senses, more rather than their mere eyes, to fight against the enemies you can't see with your own eyes." Shifu had said as he walked back and forth in front of me, judging from his steps as I was unable to see anything with my eyes tied up.

"Well, with this bandana covering my eyes, I certainly can not see them at all, master. Well, there's always the opportunity to play blind man's buff with them... with Kung Fu style!" I had said to my master... with my very usual fanboyism tone.

And after that, I had yelped out of the pain yet again as I felt the end of the bamboo staff landing rather quickly and painfully onto the back of my paw as a restoration of discipline and making me to focus on my lesson.

"Fighting against the invisible foes in the daylight and in the dark is far away from the blind man's buff, Po. It's the unbalanced match between of fairness and unfairness. Because even if you fight fair and square, it does not mean that your opponent would fight fairly as well, because your opponent will use something as his advantage against you... the darkness or even some powerful artifact, such like the Shadow Crows. I suppose that you remember what happened back then when Heilang and his wolf bandits stole them from us once and used them against us in the Hall of Heroes." Shifu had said to me back then.

"Or like the one time when I fought and beat Junjie back in the Jade Palace's dungeon by the style of blind man's buff, after I freed myself by using Golden Lotus Clap on my chains, unfortunately getting myself blind again, right?" I had asked, even though I hated the prior memory before that memory and I wanted with the pleasure to throw it all into oblivion.

I still held grudge against that nasty fox for tricking me and all around of him so treacherously, getting master Shifu temporarily fired for couple weeks from the title of the grand-master of the Jade Palace and turning my friends temporarily against me, plus trying to kill me, Shifu and master Chao with some kind of the way of cowardice.

"Something like that, yes, even though you didn't use your inner mental senses but rather the smell of garlic chow mein in his breath." Shifu had said to me.

"Well, if you remember, I used my sense of smell to locate his location in the dark to beat him. What's the difference of that master?"

"Because, even if you're not blind in your future duel situations, that doesn't mean that you would be able to see your shadow warrior enemies in middle of the darkness or if they have the Shadow Crow-like artifacts as their advantage... so you have to use your inner senses." Shifu had said.

"How, for example?"

"For example, covering your eyes, shut your mouth, relax your body, quiet your mind and use your sense of hearing... with that, you can sense your invisible foes presence and even locate their locations by using their not-so-quiet moves like steps against the hard ground or water as your advantages." Shifu had explained.

"And how am I supposed to do that?"

Suddenly, I had heard the running steps approaching towards me, until they stopped like the runner had jumped/lunged towards me. By my senses and reflexes, I quickly had raised by arms into X-position to block any possible attack with the something taller than arm.

And from there it came, the staff landed hardly in between of my arms, but surprisingly the strike was strong enough to send me to wobble hastily backwards and that I nearly fell over the edge to the lower level of the floor of the Training Hall... to among of the Gauntlet of Wooden Warriors.

I barely managed to maintain my balance on the edge of this level of the floor, preventing myself to fall among the warriors.

But just when I thought I got my balance back under control...

"For example training your senses with the army of wooden warriors... blinded" Shifu had suddenly said before he in purpose tripped me from behind of my legs with the staff, letting me to fall freely over the edge of this level of the floor and to land among the wooden warriors.

"And you have to keep doing that until your instincts and the sense of hearing are able to guide you in defending yourself against the sneaky and invisible attacks, Po. Have a good luck." Shifu had said like he was gonna depart from the scene and leave me to train by myself... or more likely... to be badly hammered by the army of wooden croc warriors.

 _PRESENT DAY_

Well, it was one of those memories I wanted to forget... along with all those bruises, that looks ugly in my fur's white spots.

But right now, because I was probably surrounded by Heilang and his wolves, I had to take Shifu's lesson into my paws.

So, I went from my battle-ready position to the upright position.

"Shut my eyes... would be more easier with the bandana... and if there would not be that pouring rain to disturb my concentration."

"Shut my mouth... well, that's not my very strong point. Sometimes I just can't help it if I have talk-active mouth."

"Relax my body... your heard that?" I asked from my belly as it started to rumble loudly out of hunger, as usually.

"Quiet my mind... if there's something else to think than my current situation or idolizing anything relating to Kung Fu."

"Use my sense of hearing... I hope that they're not stuck by the rainwater and rumbling of the thunder."

"sigh!"

"Okay, Po, you got this, you got this, you got this."

So, I did as Master Shifu had told me to do; I shut my eyes plus mouth, took a deep breath and relaxed my body, quiet my mind and took my sense of hearing into use... ignoring all the other sounds of the pouring rain and thunder.

And here I was standing, waiting for even a tiny little mistake from the wolves... and the great opportunity for me to strike back.

I waited...

Waited...

Waited...

Waited...

And...

Suddenly, I heard the step in the nearby puddle

There was one, four steps away in the northwest.

I waited that wolf was two-three steps close enough.

And when he did, I suddenly and out of my instincts spun myself around to my right, and then I lifted up and coiled my right leg, which I extended upwards into the kick to the level of the heads, until it collided to something solid, the wolf's faces. My kick was so hard that it did not only send the wolf to fly through of somersault to the ground and knocked him out, leaving him the black eye in the process, but my kick also knocked the Shadow Crown off his head, making him visible again.

"Hahahaa! One down, four to go." I said victoriously, although I already knew that it was yet too early to celebrate this.

So I took quickly the another battle-ready but relaxed position and remained still to wait for my new patient... with all my needed senses and instincts in alert.

It took more than fifteen minutes before I heard again the splats under the steps, three steps away in the south.

They certainly started to be more careful while approaching me under of their ability of the invisibility, now after they certainly saw me taking one of them down, even though he was invisible and I did not used my eyes.

After I heard one single step right behind me, out of my instincts, I quickly turned around and swung my into the fist squeezed left paw in the lateral arch to the direction of the sound of the splats under of the step. I also felt my left fist to hit against something solid cold, presumably the knives or blades of the swords, in the empty-looking air, which I probably knocked off from the invisible wolf's paws.

And after I had disarmed my invisible enemy, I quickly squeezed my left paw into the fist before I lifted it up and pulled backwards... before I eventually pulled my fist quickly forward and straight to the invisible wolf's faces. And my straight punch knocked the wolf's head backwards so hard that the crown fell off his head, making him to visible, and sending in the process the wolf himself to fly aside and land on his back to the ground... that knocked him out.

"It is not nice to sneak up behind of someone and then stab him with the knife in the back." I said to the defeated wolf.

Two down, three to go!

This seemed to be quite easier than back in the Training Hall.

I once again took upright and relaxed position.

Then there was more steps, couple pairs of splats under of the running-like steps, to be heard, coming towards me from both North-East and South-West.

That was quite familiar to me, because always when there was towards me running steps like that, the attacker, invisible or visible one, had always something in their paws, with which he were about to strike me... presumably sword.

However, even though their swords were also invisible, I had to wait the right moment...

I waited...

I waited...

Waited...

Waited...

The steps get closer...

Waited...

Waited...

The steps suddenly stopped right next to me in both sides and there was war cry to be heard as the invisible wolves were about to...

NOW!

By reflexes and instincts, I quickly dodged by bowing down their invisible swords presumably targeted to my head or neck.

Even though their swords were invisible, I still were able to feel the cold air flow following their blades in the back of my head.

Then, I heard something, which sounded like the metal had struck against the another metal.

"CLANG!"

"CLANG!"

Their swords had probably struck against of each others above of me, but when I opened my eyes and lifted my head up to check the situation as I stood upright, I saw both wolves standing next to me in both of sides, still holding with both paws from their swords that were lowered down and nearly towards the ground... and the best part was that they were both now completely visible... plus badly confused and even shocked that how close they actually were of beheading each others.

Hah! They probably had accidentally struck to the Shadow Crowns off the heads from each others after missing my head and neck.

Now they were invisible and easy prey for me.

"Say hello for my left hook and straight right, guys!" I yelled, as I bounced up from the ground into the air, and right in time as the wolves recovered from their shocked state and attempted to slice me in half from the waist with their swords, only to narrowly miss my legs.

And with that, I made the lateral barrel roll in the air and between of the confused wolves, until I landed onto my left leg back to the ground and swung my right leg towards one of the wolves, before I extended my leg into the straight kick to the wolf's abdomen, sending him aside and on his back to the ground and knocking him out.

And after which I spun myself around to my right that I landed on my right leg and performed the hook kick with my left leg that hit to beneath of the last wolf's chin, sending him to fly in arch through the air, before he landed through of the barrel roll in the air on his stomach to the ground and remained there, knocked out.

Four wolves down, one to go.

 _And then there was one!_

"Come out, Heilang! I already finished off your buddies... and now it is your turn!" I called for Heilang, knowing that that wolf was still nearby but still invisible.

And while waiting, I once again took my relaxed position and taking all my senses to use, because I knew that from all the wolves Heilang was the one more clever and skilled one and now he probably knew to expect my counter-attacks.

"You're spunky even though you cannot see us, Dragon Warrior, I'll grand you that, but the luck is never unlimited. Eventually, sooner or later, you will fall on my sword and I'll have your head as my trophy." Heilang snarled from nowhere, because he was the last wolf with the shadow crow on his head, invisible and probably the sword in his paws.

"Yeah, yeah, you already said something like that before back in our last encounter, if you remember." I said back quite bored, because Heilang once again boasted himself like he did back in the time when he overpowered me unfairly in the duel... and due to a Phantom Orb which he stole from the Secret Kung Fu Museum and with it in his paws I was unable to touch him unlike he was.

That duel nearly cost me my life.

"Well, if you want some piece of me, spare me from the chitchat and let's finish this, okay? Come to get me, you gray invisible sucker! Let's see are you scared puppy or fierce but coward wolf under the invisible cloak" I called with quite teasing tone.

"Very well, Dragon Warrior, you asked for it!" Heilang said, very annoyed and even enraged from my teasing.

I took once again relaxed upright position and closed my eyes to take my senses yet one more time to use.

I heard Heilang running towards me first from the south... judging from the rapidly repeating splats under of his running steps.

And then, I heard the running steps coming from South-East.

Then from East

And then from the South-West, as he was approaching me.

What Heilang was doing?

Was he trying to confuse me completely by switching the directions alternately from one to another, so that I would lose my opportunity to counter-attack?

Then suddenly, I heard nothing.

No more rapidly repeating splats under of the running steps in the puddles.

This made me confused, until I quickly realized that if there was no towards me incoming steps among the puddles, then that must mean that Heilang must have jumped in some point into the air as an attempt to attack me from above.

Last I heard the running steps coming from the South-East, so Heilang must be in the direction of South-East... only in the air, of course.

I believe that I've waited long enough, so I turned around and bounced myself into the air to the direction of the South-East.

"Nice try, Heilang, but you have failed, yet again!" I shouted as I spun myself around to my right in the air while twisting my hips, recoiling my right leg and extended it into the straight kick to the empty-looking air, until it collided against something fleshly and snout-like thing like the canine head as I flied over of it.

Yes! It was Heilang, because my kick managed to knock the last Shadow Crown off his head, Heilang turned immediately back into visible as he and I passed each others in the air before we landed back to the ground in the opposite sides.

Heilang seemed to be under of the disbelief that I'd managed to defeat him and his wolves in cunningness, not yet completely of course, even though they had unfair advantage against me all this time.

However, Heilang was not yet willing to give up.

Growling in anger and with sword in his paws he turned around to me and prepared to fight me personally and this time visibly.

"You got a lucky, Dragon Warrior! But if you would have not experience from these crows and their powers, this entire duel between of you and me would be over within the mere seconds and- HUH?!"

"Ho ho hoo! It is over already, Heilang!" I shouted, from what Heilang seemed to be badly surprised as he saw me leaping towards him in the air as I delivered to him the straight and finishing kick straight into his canine face.

The kick was strong enough to kick him to half-dizzy.

Heilang wobbled in a semi-conscious on his feet for a moment, before the wolf bandit finally crumpled to the ground, defeated and knocked out.

I walked next to his unconscious body lying in the ground and knelt down.

"I'm probably supposed to thank you for giving me such of experiences from those crows and their powers from our very first encounter in the past, Heilang. But take a tiny little advantage from my advises, if you please."

"It ain't over 'til it's really over."

Then I stood up on my feet... and bowed down to my defeated foes to show my respect towards the opponents, even though they were my enemies.

Master Shifu had said during of my Kung Fu training that the great Kung Fu master needs to show the respect for his defeated opponents, either friend (which I usually do when I train with my friends and students back in the Jade Palace) or sometimes even an enemies (even though they want me dead and absolutely would not show to me some respect by themselves), who has been the worthy opponent.

And then, I picked the every Shadow Crown to recovered. I do not know that how Heilang and his wolves had obtained these crowns back in their paws, but at least make sure that they will no longer end up in the wrong paws.

"Sorry boys, but I can't play with you any longer. You see, I have to get back to Jade Palace and..."

As I was about to depart from here...

"What?! Oh... blasted!"

 **TO BE CONTINUE...**


	9. 9: Po fights with Gorilla

****CHAPTER 9. PO FIGHTS GORILLA  
****

 **ENJOY THE READING!**

TIGRESS' POV

After we'd dinned, I offered to do the dishes for Mr. Ping and Mr. Li Shan.

This was not what I usually did in the Jade Palace, well... not at least before Po's appearance into our lives, but I offered to this as my... thanks... for the delicious soup.

Also Grandma, Lei Lei and even Viper, despite her great lack of arms, had offered to help me.

Me and Grandma were washing the dishes, wiping off the worst waste from the plates and bowls before handing them over to Lei Lei and Viper, who swept them dry, the plate by plate and bowl by bowl, and placed them into the pile in order.

Suddenly, Monkey, Dim and Sum appeared to the door of the kitchen, looking inside at us.

"You guys need any help of something?" Monkey asked.

"Because we're here to help." Dim and Sum said both in one voice.

I was about to answer to them that everything was under control and that we did not need the help. But before I could shot any single word out of my mouth, we all heard Mr. Ping crying something from the another room behind the wall.

"KEEP THAT MONKEY AND THOSE PANDAS AWAY FROM MY PLATES AND BOWLS!"

Monkey and both Po's cousins took the such of expression on their faces, which made Lei Lei to giggle a bit.

"Sorry, boys. But I see that someone doesn't want you to help us." I said humorously.

"You should get to the Training Hall and get ready for training." Viper said.

However, both Monkey and Po's cousins let out the loud moan after hearing this.

"But Po isn't yet back. It's almost the middle-afternoon. And middle-afternoon was the time when he's supposed to be back." Monkey protested.

"Don't worry, Monkey. He'll be back in any minute. Just be patient." Viper said as she returned back to work.

"ARE THOSE THREE STILL NEAR OF MY PLATES AND BOWLS!" We heard Mr. Ping yelling from behind the wall.

"You three should get out of here before Mr. Ping finds you three from here." I advised as I returned my own work with the dishes.

"Fine, fine, fine. We're on our way here." Monkey said and was about to leave with Po's cousins from the door, until Grandma opened her mouth to speak.

"Maybe you three should stay here for a while helping us. There's dishes enough for anybody." She said, chuckling quite humorously.

"I ALREADY TOLD YOU, KEEP THOSE THREE FAR AWAY FROM MY PLATES AND BOWLS!" Mr. Ping yelled again.

This got me, Grandma, Viper and Lei Lei, even Monkey and Po's cousins as they departed, to burst into humorous laugh.

"As humorous as Po, except that his sense of humor and his jokes doesn't sometimes have much effect to us the Five." I said as I get back to the dishes.

"At least not to one of us." Viper reminded me.

I let out the small growl escape from between of my lips, until I immediately realized that that what Viper actually had a point with that one.

My own sense of humor was quite lacking, mostly due of the fact that I've owned most of my life to the harsh training of Kung Fu with my master... meaning that I had no time for some jokes or sense of humor. I remember well how the cold and harsh treatment from emotionally troubled Shifu and harsh and violent training in Kung Fu, long before Po's appearance into my life, had turned also me to rock hard person and strongly immune to all kind of sense of humor, like back them when Po once humorously imitated master Shifu in the barracks dinner room after one noodle had stuck under of his nose after eating him meal... and Mantis calling him humorously master Shifu.

From all of us, in case of the jokes, the pranks and a sense of humor, Monkey is the only one who has the closest relationship with Po.

With me the close relationship with Po is... uh, I don't know...mostly in compassion, support, a deep friendship and respect... and maybe a little in emotions like back in our trip in Gongmen City.

Well, even though there's a deep respect and friendship between of us, I mostly keep my emotions under control and under cover of the rock hard and serious personality.

Then the several constantly repeating bright thunderbolts nearly blacked out the kitchen and the bright spotlights from the thunderbolt shot inside through the doors and window holes of the room. Plus, the violent lighting like this created the "threatening" shadows from the trees front of the room's windows and yet a couple of powerful sounds of the thunder were enough to cause poor Lei Lei to be deeply frightened.

Little panda immediately jumped into my arms and burying her face to my shoulder and cried in fear

"Hush, little one. It's alright. Do not be afraid, Lei Lei, Tigress is here. There's nothing to worry about." I said softly, as I tried to calm down a little frightened panda, who let out the frightened sounds from her mouth.

I wrapped my arms protectively around of little panda and gently swung her in my lap to calm her down.

And then, it was followed by a new loud sound of thunder and bright and violent lighting.

"I know that Po is labelled in here as worthy of his reputation as the Dragon Warrior, but he must be nuts to be out on this weather. What do you think Tigress and Viper dears?" Grandma asked from me as she handed over another washed plate, which I took into my paws and started to sweep it to dry.

"This storm is quite violent, I'll give you that, but almost everybody has countless times underestimated him, just because he's panda, and the final results have always led to better results, contrary to the prejudices and expectations." Viper answered at first.

"Besides, when Po puts his mind something, either something very brave or even very stupid or embarrassing thing, he's quite unstoppable." I said, as I gently put Lei Lei on the table and continued with the dishes.

"Are you sure, Tigress dear." Grandma asked, still quite unsure, but she did not, of course, know Po as well as I do.

"Dead sure, Grandma." I answered.

"Besides, with his panda-style of Kung Fu and his quite stubborn and never-giving-up fighting-spirit, nothing can stop him." I added...

...as I turned my eyes and my attention to the window hole, watching how the storm and the lighting were getting more and more violent in any minute... as well as more and more my inner worry for Po's safety grown along the storm.

PO'S POV

I was once again surrounded by the new bunch of the wolves... two dozen wolves, and this time, all were those Lord Shen's wolves again.

They had all their swords targeted at me as they approached me from all sides, expect from behind of my back, because I was my back against the edge of the cliff, so they were quite unable to attacks me from my flanks.

However, they still outnumbered me and they would be able to push me over the cliff with the numbers.

Well, I was gonna make sure that they are not gonna have such of chance without the fight.

Because I had lost my staff back in the open area, I had to use the regular bamboo sticks instead, so I picked one of them from the pile of many bamboos, which were cut in half by my air flight through of the bamboo forest.

I took the knelt and relaxed position and hold the bamboo stick like the sword. With the serious but smiling expression on my face, the another bright thunder bolt created the large shadow of me, throwing it upon of my foes.

This made the wolves to stop and apparently even hesitate to attack me. Probably due to an unprecedented serious expression on panda's face or then they had witnessed me defeating Heilang and his wolves, even though they had the Shadow Crowns and the invisibility they gave to their wearers as their advantage.

None of the wolves attacked me, only standing a small distance away from me and holding their ground in the very positions where they were standing...and holding their swords ready for while.

Until, I suddenly spotted the hulking dark figure appearing to behind of the wolves.

The wolves quickly made the way for the gigantic figure and backed off out of humility and somewhat fear-like respect as the gigantic figure entered to the ring between of me and these wolves.

As the figure came close enough of me so that I was able to see him more clearly.

I realized that the figure was large and muscular gorilla with dark-blue coat, which was from the pouring rain soaking wet.

That gorilla was one of many of those great elite gorillas that served Lord Shen in his army and against of whom I and Furious Five had fought back in the Gongmen City.

And just like the wolves under of the service of Lord Shen, this gorilla had the same Flaming Blood-Red Sun tattoo on his shoulders and the chest.

With the challenging manners, the gorilla snarled at me.

I a bit backed off as well as the gorilla came even closer to me.

Unlike Crane and Tigress back in our time in Gongmen City, I've never ever faced any of Shen's gorillas by myself in the close combat and this one happened to be a quite large than any of them... as large or maybe a bit larger than even Temutai himself.

However, a real Kung Fu warrior was not supposed to be afraid nor show it to the opponents, so I took the position as the sign of accepting the gorilla's challenge.

Both of us stared at each others for a while, waiting for the perfect opportunity to attack.

To end this boring each other staring and waiting for another one's movement at another, I raised my left paw up and signaled to the gorilla to come and fight me, panda to gorilla, with a bit humorous but still serious smile.

The gorilla smiled wickedly at me and instructed his wolves to stay back and not interfere this, indicating that he wanted to handle me by himself.

He squeezed his thick knuckles with the wicked grin on his face and his eyes were filled by the strong will to break every bone of me.

The gorilla then lunged at me roaring loudly and raised his fists to punch me... really hard and painfully.

However, before the gorilla's punch could reach to me, I leaped out of the way of his fist and stretched out one of my paws forwards, placing it on the gorilla's head. And as I was about to fly in arch over of my opponent's head, I bounced with my paw into the air and landed on my feet to the ground, a small distance away from the gorilla.

This quick move a bit confused the gorilla, until he turned around to see me behind of the his back.

I signaled to him again to come and get me.

The gorilla lunged me again, trying to hit me with his massive fists.

However, I dodged his attacks by making the same jump movement as I did the seconds ago, landing behind of the gorilla and signaling him to get me again.

Sometimes I dodged his fist attacks by moving out of the way of his fists time after time and bowing down rather than jumping behind of the gorilla's back.

I didn't even fight him back, due to the rules of the panda style of Kung Fu, which I created, that says/advises/demands that the warrior and student of panda style of Kung Fu never attacks the opponent first, but rather lets the opponent to start first and to run out of his own strength while using himself/herself the dodging or counter-movements and then make the counterattack or finishing move upon the opponent.

Eventually, after I dodged the gorilla's straight right, I crapped from his arm with both of my paws and pulled with all my strength him with the halterneck technique over myself and hard to the ground, before I jumped away from the gorilla to get some time to catch my breath.

The gorilla rose back on its feet, growling angrily and quite loudly at me.

I think that that means that the gorilla was growing impatient.

Then, he took something from his back into his massive hand. It was the large kanabo-war club with my fist-sized metallic nodules.

With it, the gorilla lunged at me again.

I had to double my abilities in my dodge- and counter-techniques against this gorilla and his massive weapon as he started to swung the weapon at me time after time, with either lateral or straight strikes. I barely managed to dodge every swung or block every straight attack with my own normal bamboo staff, which seemed to be powerless against the gorilla's massive kanabo-war club.

I tried to change my position by trying to get for two-five seconds away from him, but the gorilla wasn't willing to allow me even a couple seconds to breath and perform any counterattacks, so he kept pushing towards me with the brutal strength and kept whacking me with his kanabo-club.

I used the some nearby boulders as my cover briefly against the gorilla's kanabo's strikes, but I had to keep moving and dodging because the boulders wouldn't give the cover for me more than one or two strikes before they actually... cracked in half... from the stone-heavy strikes of the kanabo-club.

And the bamboos did not help at all, because the gorilla smashed many bamboos into pieces with ease while trying to hit me with his weapon.

I barely managed to dodge a total of forty heavy attacks, which left the devastation among the bamboo trees.

Eventually, I jumped in the air and landed against the nearby rock's a bit inclined side and leaped from it towards the gorilla.

"SKADOOSH!" I shouted my battle cry, as I approached the gorilla through the air and raised my staff to hit him straight to his face.

However, much to my surprise, the gorilla suddenly dodged my strike by bowing down out of its way, after which the gorilla spun quickly around and swung his kanabo towards me with from down to upwards movement... and I was powerless to prevent it from hitting me.

Kanabo struck me straight into my abdomen so hard that it nearly made me to vomit!

And the strike's power was so great that it tossed me like the rag doll to fly rapidly across the air and towards the rock, from which I leaped towards the gorilla.

I eventually smashed roughly against the rock's side in the upside down position and yet so rapidly, that my rough landing against the rock left the panda-shaped deep mark in rock's side as I run along the stone to the ground, landing to the ground with my head ahead to the ground, before I finally fell on my belly to the ground.

"Ouch!" I moaned with the light wave of pain as I was slowly, very slowly, about to stand up rubbing my head's sore places.

Then, a new lighting created the shadow that fell upon of me from behind of my back... or behind of my butt more likely.

I lifted my head up and I noticed that that big gorilla was approaching me threateningly and was about to crush me between of the ground and his kanabo.

He raised his club over of his head, and when a new lighting lit up the dark stormy sky, the gorilla roared at me and was about to strike me.

"Oh no, you don't!" I shouted as I as quickly as I could jumped back on my feet and leaped towards the gorilla.

I grabbed with my paw from his kanabo and swung myself around and then above of it as it fell roughly down, surprising that gorilla dude completely, which gave me time to land on my feet onto the gorilla's weapon and then to perform my famous technique... The Feet Of Thunder... by starting rapidly kick his faces from the areas of the mouth and eyes, along of which I spun myself a couple times both to my left and right and delivered two fierce kicks to each of the gorilla's cheeks, causing a lot of slobber and a few tooth to fly out of his mouth.

And finally, mimicking Tigress' movement, I performed to the gorilla a very hard double-punch between of his eyes, which I hoped to send him to fall over on his back to the ground, but instead, my double-punch only got him to wobble as half-dizzy.

And while he was wobbling as a dizzy, I leaped into the air and performed the somersault over of the gorilla's head, until I eventually landed on the back of his head. And then, I made my next bounce up into the air, and at the same time finishing off the gorilla, by extending my legs towards the back of the gorilla's head.

My legs impact against the back of the gorilla's head, which I used as a support for my bounce, send me to fly up into the air, and as a result, my jump into the air caused that the colossus primate fell over to the muddy ground... with his face ahead

I landed a small distance away from him and turned around to face the gorilla one more time, because I had spotted the another rock which was standing right behind of me, it was authorized to serve as my advantage to finish this duel.

The muddy gorilla crawled back on his feet, angrily grunting and shaking off the mud from his face.

The gorilla then turned his head to my direction, and after seeing me once again, the gorilla snarled at me even more angrily and totally enraged from such of humiliating defeat of his and my successful defensive victory over him.

The gorilla did not bothered to pick his weapon from the ground, but instead, loudly and furiously roaring up to the stormy sky, the gorilla lunged towards me, down by all fours and with the gorillas high speed... and yet filled with the lust and will of ripping my head off from my shoulders.

"Over here, colossus lubber!" I teased as I started to jump backwards, first onto my paws and them back onto my feet and so on.

For a couple times I even performed the backward somersaults in the air to "slow" my rhythm in order to keep gorilla keeping up after me.

The gorilla of course tried to hit me with his massive fists, only to miss me time after time, much to his rage.

"Missed!" I teased after his left hook failed.

"Missed again!" I teased after his straight right failed.

"C'mon! Try now even!" I teased after his "gorilla style" kick failed.

"Too slow!" I teased after his double-swung failed.

"That's all you got?" I teased when his crushing double-fist-strike, which splattered water and mud all around.

"C'mon! Walking target is right here" I teased, as I went so far in my teasing that I stuck my tongue out at him in order to make the gorilla purposely even angrier and to attack me without concentration and in the blind anger.

Maaaaybe a bit childish act, but certainly workable idea.

And I was right, in the high level of rage, the gorilla let out the loud roar of pure rage and lunged towards me.

He pulled his colossus fist backwards that it was behind of his head, and then the gorilla pulled his fist forward and towards me with all his strength.

As his fist was right about to hit me in the face, I dodged it by bowing down and somersaulting along the ground completely out of the gorilla's way...

The gorilla's fist's knuckles smashed against the hard rock instead of my head, and the gorilla's punch, however, was so strong that the rock even got several cracks around of the spot where the gorilla's fist had just landed.

 _Ouch! And that could have been my head!_

The gorilla pulled his fist off from the rock and let out the super loud bellow out of pain as he held with his other hand around of his sore-fingered hand.

I found the perfect opportunity to end this!

And, before the gorilla would recover from the pain in his hand and attack me again, I rushed towards another boulder, climbed onto it and bounced up into the air!

I flied in arch through the air towards the gigantic ape and then I delivered the hard kick with both of my legs, and using my own weight as a support in it, to his back, and the impact to his back sent him to wobble hastily forwards.

After I landed on my feet to the ground, I bounced up into the another leap towards gorilla and performed the same kick to the back of the gorilla's head, sending him to fly with his head ahead towards the rock's smooth side. And as the gorilla landed with his head ahead against the rock, the impact caused the some light crack into the surface of rock.

This gorilla had very hard skull, I can give him that.

And after that, I quickly backed off as the gorilla turned around and tried to swing his fist towards me.

Angrily snarling at me, the gorilla stood up onto his feet, turned around and prepared to face me again.

I sighed, because I though that I was able to finish off that gorilla by tricking him to close of the rock so that I could kick his head against it to knock him to unconscious, but no! The gorilla seemed to be still fit to fight me!

I had no choice but to take the stand and face this gorilla... again.

But when the gorilla was about to lunge at me, the giant brute, however, started to wobble in every step towards me... just as if he was a half-dizzy from his head's hard impact against the rock's side.

The gorilla growled at me as he, while still wobbling, stretched out his hands towards me to grab from me...

...until the giant primate eventually tripped over his own feet and heavily collapsed rumbling to the muddy and watery ground ans remained there motionless, both unconscious and totally defeated.

"YES! Taste of defeat!" I declared victoriously.

Then, I turned to gorilla's wolf troops and prepared to face them, despite their overwhelming numbers.

However, the wolves, after witnessing their gorilla leader's defeat in my paws, immediately backed off with the great hesitation to attack me.

I took the opportunity of this and I started to walk towards them as mighty and victorious as the Dragon Warrior like me was able, to force the wolves to back off.

"What's the matter, guys? Are the Big Bad Wolves too scared to attack the one panda, who's heavily outnumbered by the one big pack of wolves?" I teased as I continued walking towards the wolves, speeding up my rhythm, which caused the wolves to back off more hastily.

Eventually, the wolves end up falling one by one off of the cliff after I forced them to back off too close of the edge of the cliff.

Keeping their balance on the edge of the cliff wasn't easy for them, because the ones in behind of the pack pushed in panic the others forward to avoid the fall over the cliff and the ones in front of the pack pushed the others behind of their back to back, unaware of being pushed dangerously close of the edge of the cliff by me.

After the every last wolf had fell over the cliff to the ravine and the river, I was finally able to sigh of relief.

However, I had no time to take some rest and catch my breath so long, because these woods were still full of wolves and I was already so doubly exhausted and battered... that I was like the easy prey for the big packs of wolves.

So, I turned around towards the open area in the woods to retrieve my staff back and then head back to the Jade Palace as quick as possible.

I knew that the victory over that gorilla was quite effective to those ones who possibly were still hiding and witnessing the duel between of me and that gorilla nearby in the shadows of the bamboo trees, but I had to get out of here at once, because it was the matter of time when they finally gather their courage to put their brief hesitation aside and then attack me again... and probably with the fresh and much bigger packs.

All I was able to do was now try to avoid the fight with the wolves by avoiding the wolves themselves.

 **To be continued...**

 **I hope that you enjoyed this chapter.**


	10. 10: Attempt to sneak after Po

******CHAPTER 10. LI SHAN AND PING ATTEMPTS TO SNEAK AFTER PO  
******

 **ENJOY THE READING!**

LI SHAN'S POV

Here we were, me and Mr. Ping, standing outside of the Training Hall and watching to the stormy sky upon the Valley.

It was getting in every passing second even more and more violent and ominous.

"I'm telling you yet again, I don't like the storm like this. Too ominous to be the normal storm, I say." I said with the deep concern of our son Po.

"The middle-afternoon has already passed... about two hours ago... and he isn't still back." Mr. Ping said, with as concerned tone of voice as mine.

"This is not like Po. He's never late from anything. At least he wasn't always late from the father-and-son act and serving the guests of my noodle shop back in the time when he used to live still under my wings until he became the Kung Fu master and the Dragon Warrior. I know that he's now skilled warrior and old and able enough to take care of himself in any situation, but this storm... those savage wolves out there in the woods... and the fact that our boy isn't yet back home... I have no idea what to do, except to wait for his return as master Shifu said. If you ask me, I'll say that I go to master Shifu right now and plead him to send one of his Five to search for Po and bring him back... or else I'm gonna do that by myself." Mr. Ping added as he crossed his wings and took the frustrated expression.

As a Po's father from panda side, I equally shared the same common feelings with Mr. Ping.

Even though I didn't liked to just stand here and wait for Po's arrival, master Shifu was the grand master of the Jade Palace like his predecessor, some turtle called Oogway, as my son and master Shifu had called him when they had told me something about that guy, including that the grand master's word is the law in here.

Po has told me much about this certain and famous turtle, or at least all what he already knew and heard about him from master Shifu, who had also confirmed my knowledge about this turtle by telling more about master Oogway's achievement all around of China with his skills, wisdom and guidance... which is why every Kung Fu warrior and every peasant, villager and citizen in China respected him with the great respect.

And after I heard that it was him who was the one who was responsible of my son becoming the Dragon Warrior, which led eventually, as my son had told me, Lord Shen's and that horned blade-wielding maniac's demise in my son's paws, his spirit has gained my respect for what all good and what kind of life he had granted to my son.

I slightly turned my head to check that was Mr. Ping okay, until I saw that he wasn't anymore standing where he was standing a second ago.

I looked all around of me to see that where the goose had gone, only to find him with my eyes walking in middle of the training yard and the pouring rain and that the goose was heading towards the gates of the yard.

I quickly rushed after him before he reached to the doors of the Training Yard, knelt down at his level after I had reached next to him and I stretched out my arm in front of him, preventing him to take a one step outside of the doors

"WOW, WOW, WOW, MR. PING! Where you think you're going?!" I asked with a bit scolding tone from Mr. Ping, as he shot daggers from his own eyes to mine.

"I'm going to look for our son, Mr. Shan. I'm done with waiting. Besides, Po might be in the big trouble, meaning that he needs help." Mr. Ping said as he pushed my paw out of his way and entered outside through the doors.

"Are you kidding me?! In this weather?" I asked firmly as I walked after him to stop him again by the same way, only to get my paw pushed away by Mr. Ping's wings.

"Yes. Even in this weather." He answered firmly and kept going.

"But it's dark on this thunder storm!" I protested.

"I have the lanterns at home. I can use them to see forward of me." He said.

"What about you got the lethal strike from the lighting bolt? Or you got crushed under the falling tree pulled with its roots from the ground by the strong storm wind? Or what if you get caught under of the flood from this pouring rain?" I said as I listed with the worrying tone the several dangers of this thunderstorm that might be waiting for any careless walker in the woods.

"As long as I stay far away from the tallest trees and keep an eye at every tree all around of me, and as long as I stay away from the flooding spots of the woods, there's nothing to be worried about for me, Mr. Shan." He said.

"What about the wolves?!" I said as I reminded him about the wolves.

"I was a master in the hide-and-seek game when I was a little goose. I'm able to hide myself from those savages." He responded, not moved even from the knowledge about the wolves.

"There's too many of them out there, Mr. Ping, you'll get surrounded from every corner! Besides, they do not even need to see you out there, because they have very accurate sense of smell. If they caught your scent, they'll hunt you down and they'll not stopped until they've squeezed the life out of you!" I said to Mr. Ping as we two walked through the bridge, that went across the chasm that separated the top of the Jade Mountain into two tips, to which the Training Hall and the Garden of the Masters were located.

UGH! As I took the wolves as a subject, my head was filled with various unpleasant and even traumatizing memories of my fellow pandas' being mauled or strangled to death by Lord Shen's wolves back in that invasion upon my old village's destruction, as well as some memories from the aftermath of the invasion, when Lord Shen's wolves were fiercely, mercilessly and tirelessly chasing in the woods the remaining pandas, who had managed to escape from the village until most of them were brutally hunted down by the wolves.

"After I've found Po in the woods, he'll protect me from the packs of those savages." Mr. Ping said.

I was a bit dumbfounded that that goose was really gonna march into the bamboo woods after Po... in this dark and violent thunderstorm and yet those woods were swarming of Lord Shen's barbaric wolves.

It was the foolish act.

It was a suicide mission.

Mr. Ping was really gonna get himself killed in the claws of those wolves, who certainly do not hesitant to get the goose for meal.

He doesn't even know Kung Fu like I do.

That's why I gotta stop him.

"Mr. Ping. Listen to me. I know that you're upset of what master Shifu told us to do – just wait Po's return – but going out there to look for him during of the such of violent thunderstorm like this and in the such of darkness with a high risk to get lost in the bamboo woods, which are swarming with the wolves who certainly do not hesitant to hunt you down for food, is suicide mission. It is foolish to go out into the bamboo woods and then get killed before you have a time to say to the wolves "Hi. Excuse me, but do you know where's my son?" Besides, I think that maybe master Shifu has the reason in ordering all of us to stay here and not go after Po so that we do not get the more of us into the trouble. Or at least I believe so." I said as we two walked through of the statues of the Garden of the Masters.

"Am I supposed to just wait when my son comes back home in the bruises and badly battered by those wolves that he cannot even stand or even stay in conscious. I already heard that Po nearly got killed during of his mission in the other side of the China by that sadistic peacock's cannons... thrice." Mr. Ping said as we climbed up the stairs, in top of which was standing the master Oogway's re-carved statue.

"You do not need to do this, Mr. Ping. Don't be so fool that you're actually gonna get yourself killed while trying to find him. You gotta believe me, I'm worried about him too but we gotta do as master Shifu said." I tried to say while I landed my paw on Mr. Ping's shoulder, only to be shook off.

"I already told you, I'm tired of this pointless waiting. He was supposed to be back right now but he isn't. The mid-afternoon, when he was supposed to be back, went over the couple hours ago. So, I'm going." Mr. Ping exclaimed and kept walking.

I tried to speak him out of this foolish act to the front of the gates of the Jade Palace, but that goose stubbornly turned off my every wise advice and the sense of voice I tried to say to him.

And then, I finally snapped out of it.

I have enough of that goose's stubbornness.

"That's it, I'm going!" I said as I, quite rudely, pushed the stubborn goose out of my way and I began to head the stairs.

Even though I didn't paid any look at Mr. Ping anymore, I bet that he was right now looking at me with the badly dumbfounded and quite confused expression in his face and because of what I just did and said.

Just like I had when he began to walk away from the Jade palace into the woods to find Po.

However, when I was about to take one step to the stairs, I felt something grabbing on my paw and pulling me back.

I turned around and saw Mr. Ping holding me from my paw... and as I guessed, he had dumbfounded and confused look in his face.

"What are you doing?!" The goose shouted.

"I said, "I'm going to look for Po." I said firmly back and I tried to leave, only to being pulled back by the goose.

"Out there? In this storm? To the darkness-filled bamboo woods where you could get lost? To the bamboo woods which are swarming by those savage wolves?" The goose exclaimed.

I rolled my eyes out of frustration, as those were exactly the same warnings I said to him a moment ago... only for them to fall to the deaf ears of that a moment ago stubborn goose... before I pulled my paw off from his wings.

"Hey! Even if you did not listen to my wise advises "not go out there" in this storm, it doesn't mean that you should imitate my own words, which you yourself a moment ago stubbornly ignored." I said firmly back.

I tried once again to leave, but I was halted back yet again by Mr. Ping who had rushed in front of me and pushed me back from my stomach... or at least he tried, because he was the small and light goose and I was the giant panda.

"But you said that the wolves wouldn't hesitate to have the goose for meal. It applies to you too. Both of you and Po have already told me how that creepy peacock and his savage wolves nearly wiped out all the pandas to the extinction in that horrible-sounding massacre you've experienced. So, even though that monstrous peacock is gone, that doesn't mean that his wolves don't hesitate to attack and kill the every panda they've caught in their sight. That means that if they catch you in their sight they'll hunt down and kill you."

I rolled my eyes at this.

"Why you even care? You didn't listen me when I was trying to speak you out of this." I said.

"Because, I've been considering this for the whole day since Po just left from here to investigate the wolf activity in the bamboo woods. And because its already dark thanks to this storm, because I'm small due to being goose and because the pouring rain will cover my scent from the wolves, I'm able to sneak among the wolves in the pushes and if they've found our son I'm even able to follow them and found him. That's why I was going." Mr. Ping explained.

"What about me, then?" I asked referring with my paw at myself, with a bit offended mind.

"Well, no offense of course, Mr. Shan. But because you're giant panda, it's a bit difficult for you to hide and even move in the bushes without being undetected. Even the darkness of this storm cannot grand to you the protection because of the white areas of your fur which, the wolves can see you everytime when the lighting bolts enlighten the darkness all around of you in the woods. Do you understand, Mr. Shan?! They would be able to see you too easily, either due to your size or with the help from the bright lighting... and because of you being panda like Po... they wouldn't hesitate to kill you like they didn't the last time with Po and the other pandas. That's why I need to go... alone... and that's why I'm not asking you to come with me despite the fact that we're both fathers of the one certain panda. I'm sorry" Mr. Ping said, before he turned around and started to walk down the stairs by himself.

I was, however, still willing to say something back to him. So I grabbed from his shoulder and pulled him back.

"And if you manage to find him by following those wolves, and if he's surrounded by them, then how in earth you're supposed to get him out from the such of situation and bring him back home? You're not Kung Fu warrior like Po and me... well, I'm not completely as skilled Kung Fu warrior as Po but the warrior nonetheless. That's why you should let me to go alone to find him, because he can fight and I can fight. We both can fight our way out from there. Protecting you, as the villager, would only slow us down." I said and I tried to pass him, only to be pushed back by Mr. Ping, yet again.

"Did you just called me burden?!" He exclaimed, with the offended expression.

"Well, who called me "too easily noticeable" to those wolves because of my size?!" I exclaimed back, with the offended expression on my face.

We both stared at each others with the daggers in our eyes, until I simply gave up and kept walking down the stairs.

"Hey! Where are you..." Mr. Ping started until I cut his words off.

"I told you already. I'm going after Po." I said while keeping walking. I was not in the mood to stop and turn to continue this from nowhere formed argument with this stubborn goose.

"But what about the big risk to get detected by those savage wolves you're gonna take if you go out there?" Mr. Ping firmly asked.

I rolled my eyes and turned around and bowed down to the goose.

"And what about your high lack of Kung Fu skills? You're gonna make from yourself easy prey fro those wolves. And their great numbers will make sure that even Po's skills aren't enough to protect you from them. You might even unintentionally disrupt his concentration on fighting them." I said back.

I snorted in frustration that we two weren't gonna in any way proceed in our "foolish and suicide-like" mission if we just keep arguing with each others. I eventually stoop upright and crossed my arms together.

"Fine... If we do not reach an agreement, then we go together." I declared, waiting impatiently the goose's respond.

"No way, I'm going, because you're bearing too great risk to be seen by them, hunted down by them and killed by them because of being the giant panda." Mr. Ping said firmly.

"Well, if you're not gonna agree with going out there together, then you're the one who should stay in the Jade Palace in safe from danger due to being goose with the high lack of Kung Fu skills." I said firmly back.

"And I say that there's no the sense to get both of us into the danger of death. Besides, I know these areas much better than you do, that's why I need to go, not you." Mr. Ping fired back.

"And because of your small size due to being goose and having not knowledge of kung fu is gonna get yourself killed by those wolves is the reason why you should not go out there." I fired back, not caring how rudely I said it.

"No! You should not go out there!" Mr. Ping, finally losing his patience with me, shouted at me.

"NO, BUT YOU SHOULDN'T!" I nearly roared back.

"NO YOU!"

"YOU!"

"YOU!"

"YOU!"

"YOU!"

"YOU!"

"YOU!"

"YOU!"

"YOU!"

"YOU!"

"YOU!" We both fiercely, angrily and stubbornly fired to each others while pointing each others with the demanding finger.

"Ahem, excuse me, but... what are you two doing?" Someone suddenly asked from the right next to us.

"WHAT?!" We both fiercely shouted as we both turned to look at the figure who had suddenly and undetected appeared next to us.

"Ouch!" I yelled as I suddenly felt the sharp pain in my head like someone had just hit me with the stick in the head.

"Ouch! My wing!" Mr. Ping yelled as something hit to his right wing too.

We both, while rubbing our sore spots where the strikes had got their hits, turned our eyes to one who probably was the one who had just hit both of us with something.

We both freeze in sudden shock after we both realized that it was none other than master Shifu himself, scowling both of us with the questioning look in his eyes, as he spun the grand master's staff in his hands with the high speed and around of himself, not taking his eyes off from both of us to it, before he placed the staff into upright position in his left hand.

Master Shifu stood quietly in his place, scowling alternately both of us.

And then, he opened his mouth, breaking the silence around of us.

"What are you two doing here in the stairs of the Jade palace... and yet out during of such of weather and pouring rain like this one currently upon us? You two might even catch a cold if you two keep standing here and do not immediately come out from the rain and get into the warm." Master Shifu said firmly as he still scowled alternately both of us.

"And, anyway, where you two were even going in this weather?" He added.

We were both, Mr. Ping and me, quite embarrassed that we two were caught in standing here in the stairs under of this pouring rain by master Shifu like two little undisciplined children trying to sneak for the jar of cookies.

We both lowered our heads slightly down, pulled our paws and wings behind of our backs and twirled our legs embarrassed.

 **TO BE CONTINUE...**

 ** **I hope that you enjoyed this chapter.****


	11. 11: Boredom

******CHAPTER 11. BOREDOM  
******

 **ENJOY THE READING!**

VIPER'S POV

I sighed. The Mid-afternoon was couple hours ago over and Po was supposed to be back already.

And because of that, we were all standing in the Training Hall waiting for him... quite impatiently and highly bored.

It was, or course, usual for Po to be a bit late from the training sometimes, but this time he was ten times late than ever.

And only what we had to do was do as master Shifu had said... only wait for Po's return.

"I don't get it. Why do we need to wait for Po? Mid-afternoon is already over and he's not back yes as he and master Shifu agreed. So why Shifu cannot train us instead of Po, now when it seems most certainly that he ate his words and is once again late?" Mantis asked from all of us as he stood bored on Crane's hat his fore arms crossed together.

"Because he handed over the responsibilities of teaching to Po's burden over couple years ago, you remember?" Crane reminded him.

I clearly saw Mantis shivering in disgust after being reminded about Po's first, and eventually failed, day as a teacher, before he walked to edge of Crane's hat and bowed down to look at him into the eyes.

"Antlers of disgust and offended! I remember that day clearly. Don't even think about that I've forgot that day, Crane." Mantis said with a bit offended tone.

Yeah, and it's not wonder if he isn't forgot that day. I bet that nobody of us isn't forgot that day when master Shifu granted the responsibilities of teaching the lessons into Po's paws. His first day wasn't nothing else but the big disaster. The training equipment of the Training Hall were back then all newly renovated from the much more challenging level than ever. And following Po's "guidance" which got all of us to get in the seconds badly bruised, wounded and battered by the newest training equipment and partially – or mostly – because of Po's poor guides and the lack of experience of teaching.

I still remember that when Po guided me to twirl myself aroud above of one of the barrels of the Field of the Fiery Death, so that the blasting fire would rise through of my coils without touching my skin while I twirled around of the firespout. However, unfortunately for me, my tail had accidentally in middle of everything wrapped around of one the arms of the wooden crocodile dolls of the Gauntlet of the Wooden Warriors puched by Tigress.

I still feel the same old aches on my head when I remember to be whirled with the speed of the doll and getting my head to hit repeatedly to the other dolls. And what in that was much worse, was that I even got myself wrapped around of the doll into the knot.

It would have took from me an hour to get myself out from the wooden doll warrior if the guys hadn't helped me to open the knot of my coils. But my skin was ruined, forcing me to change my old ruined skin and create another one. I felt myself naked for the whole week, which greatly embarassed me.

Well, we five weren't the only ones who were impatiently waiting for Po's return. Also pandas, at least Grandma panda and Mei Mei were standing or leaning against the wall or wooden pillars their arms crossed or walked around bored.

I didn't saw Dim and Sum anywhere in the Training Hall... and not mention about Monkey.

I don't know where did those three went and where they are anyway, if they weren't here with us.

Well, at least two or more likely four of us had got something to do; Hugger panda was at the moment hugging the punching doll in order to "exercise" his skills, while little Pao was jumping in front of him and kicking the doll's underside.

Also Tigress was exercising her own skills with the Gauntlet of the Wooden Warriors, battling five wooden crocodile dools at the same time, dodging, blocking, punching and kicking their clawed and spiked arms from the side to another – with her normal but slightly faster training speed.

However, Tigress wasn't just beating the wooden warriors but also exercising her skills with the maintaining the balance of concentration, because little sweetheart Lei Lei, as always and despite me calling her not to go in the area, had followed Tigress into the Gauntlet of Wooden Warriors, making Tigress to double her exercises to make sure that little panda doesn't harm herself from the wooden dolls by tossing her in the air and moving her from the paw to paw while keeping up her pace against the wooden dolls.

Lei Lei didn't even show any sight of fear in the middle of challenging training equipment. She instead giggled heartily of being tossed in the air by Tigress.

"So, you didn't had the patience to wait for Po's return but instead started your training on your own, Sweetie?" I asked from Tigress, though I was sure that she had no time to pay attention to me right now.

"And weren't we supposed to wait for Po's return and just then start to work out, Tigress?" Crane asked.

Tigress was too focused to the wooden dolls and protecting Lei Lei from getting hurt that she wasn't able to answer to me neither to Crane, because if she did, she could get hit from the wooden doll's clawed and spiked arms and get herself, or even little Lei Lei, to hurt.

However, after it took over fifteen minutes since my question, Tigress suddenly launched her doubled crushing attacks against the dools and with the tiger's natural brutal force, she shredded them with her wood- and stone-crushing punches and sharp claws one by one before she grabbed Lei Lei protectively from the air into her arms and jumped with the double-leap to high in the air, making at the same time couple backward twirling in the air movements before she hardly landed right next to me.

The pandas in the hall clapped at her stunt eagerly, although the only one panda of all, to whose clapping Tigress answered with the hearty and warm smile, was Lei Lei.

And then, Tigress took the dead-serious look in her face and turned to me.

"Po's already late. It was the mid-afternoon when Po was supposed to return to the Jade palace. But he's nowhere to seen. I can't believe that he actually ate his word he gave to Master Shifu... yet again. He was the last time one hour late when he..." Tigress started.

"We know... he overslept because he had spent the most of that night of cleaning up the Jade palace and polishing the artifacts ordered by Master Shifu." Me, Crane and Mantis said in unison, cutting Tigress off with her words.

Tigress let out the light snort in frustration, but managed to keep herself cool because of holding Lei Lei in her arms.

Now when Tigress was slightly in the bad mood, Lie Lei was in the great risk to get hurt if Tigress eventually losses her temper.

I believed that in sake of Lei Lei's well being, it was not wise to act mischievously with Tigress at the moment.

"I know that, Viper." Tigress said reluctantly.

"Well, he was also nearly the entire lesson late back then when he..." Tigress started again, only to be interfered by Crane and Mantis, whom had not got the message unlike I just did.

"We know... he accidentally messed Mr. Ping's Noodle Restaurant with the two pots of the noodle soup and spend the most of the lesson time by cleaning up the restaurant because Mr. Ping ordered him to do so as his father." Me, Crane and Mantis said in unison, again.

"I know that too." Tigress growled back and hardly managed to keep her temper.

"Well, he was the whole day late when he..." She started yet again.

"Accidentally got lost into the woods due to traveling too far in the area in where he hadn't yet visited... like he apparently did today too... and which took the whole day for him to find his way back into the village and the Jade palace and got grounded for the week by master Shifu. We already know." Crane and Mantis said in unison, again, and this time with a quite bored tone of voice.

" _I KNOW!_ " Tigress suddenly and loudly roared in the rage and frustration, after she had eventually lost her temper to beyond of the limits of the self-control. And her roar – plus that she bared her fangs and extended her claws in rage - startled all the pandas in the same room... except me, Crane and Mantis.

I then noticed something.

"Uh- Tigress." I said as I pointed with the tip of my tail to her arms.

Tigress' hardened and angered expression by her own frustration and breakdown immediately softened as she turned her head down to look at Lei Lei, who was holding tightly from the action figures of Tigress and Mantis, while she herself was looking back at Tigress with startled and fearful look in her eyes.

Tigress raised her free paw's fingers over of her closed eyes and sighed out of frustration but also in a deep shame.

This event probably reminded her greatly from her difficult childhood time back in the Bao Gu Orphanage, where the other orphans and the staff of the place were living in fear of her, due to her violent temper and frightening strength.

Tigress probably still remembered how she had always lost her temper with the violent and devastating consequences after being rejected in every time by the other children, who were every time scared by her fangs and claws, no matter how kind and friendly she tried to be to them and ask them to play with her.

Tigress certainly still remembered yet the one thing from many of those emotionally hurtful memories, that she had been even labelled as the monster among of them and locked in as isolated room to keep her away from the others like the mindless savage beast... which she actually was due to her sensitive temper.

Only one thing, what had saved her from herself – and even saved her from nearly getting herself lost into her violent temper and becoming what the others saw and what they have already labelled about her – was master Shifu.

After having frightening little Lei Lei like this, Tigress was deeply saddened and ashamed of it, knowing that because of her temper was still too sensitive for the sudden breakdown, even after she had managed to control her temper plus hardened her emotions under of master Shifu's half-gentle and half-harsh care and teaching.

But still the sudden loss of her temper could possibly to drive her unintentionally to harm little Lei Lei, which was the thing she never wanted to do in her life. Not unintentionally neither accidentally.

So, despite being mostly the dead-serious and mentally hardcore, as Po had said about her back in our travel to the Gongmen City, I clearly saw the one single drop of tear running down her cheek from her left eye.

However, seeing the ashamed Tigress fighting against her own tears in shame from letting herself to lose her temper once again, Lei Lei let out of her own fear and wrapped her arms around of Tigress neck, in order to comfort the tiger.

"Stripey Baby." Lei Lei sweetly muttered as she hugged Tigress.

Without taking aback, Tigress wrapped her own arms around the little panda, hugging her back and accepting her comfort.

"It's okay, little sweetheart. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I'm heartily sorry." Tigress whispered gently, soothingly and motherly.

I smiled at this. I loved to see how Tigress acted to Lei Lei, treated her, spent time with her and even protected her with such of motherly manners.

"AWWWW!" The pandas sighed, emotionally moved by this.

"As its already told by Po... little Lei Lei will melt everyone's heart. Even such of hardcore like Tigress can't resist this fuzzy wuzzy baby panda." Mantis said, a bit sarcastically, which got me to turn my attention from Tigress and Lei Lei to his direction and hiss to him angrily... as his reward for nearly ruining such of heartfelt and adorable mother-and-daughter moment between Tigress and Lei lei.

Tigress, with the slight blush in her face, turned her stern eyes to Mantis, and she got an idea as an payback for Mantis for embarrassing her.

With the sly grin, Tigress gently took Mantis' action figure from Lei Lei's paw and walked towards Mantis while looking at Lei Lei.

"Does little sweetheart want to play with the living "greeny-baby?" Well, I'm gonna get him to you." Tigress said with the motherly tone while playfully tickling the little adorable panda in her arms.

Little panda adorably giggled under of Tigress playful tickling and clapped her little paws after Tigress' question, that did she wanted to play with "living greeny-baby", meaning Mantis, and immediately stretched her arms towards Mantis.

Mantis immediately knew what this meant, and squeaking in "fear", the bug immediately jumped out from Tigress and Lei Lei's reach on the wooden beam of the hall.

"Antlers of fear! Antlers of fear! Keep her away from me!" Mantis cried out, which got all of us laugh in amuse.

"The wings of hearty laugh." Crane chuckled.

Mantis took this laugh as the great offense towards him and scowled all of us with the offended look in his face.

"Don't look at us like that, Mantis, you yourself asked for it." I said to Mantis.

We all then turned back to Tigress as she handed over Lei Lei into Grandma panda's arms, because she wanted to share a word with us... but also secretly out of fear of scaring or accidentally hurting Lei Lei if the discuss with us would unfortunately lead to another outburst.

And then, she turned back to us.

"Look guys. All what I am just telling you, it's just that... I know that there's usually not need to speak about the past which we have gone through together with Po since he defeated Tai Lung and earned ours, Shifu's and entire Valley's respect. And we've all seen how Po has through of all these years changed much from that "big, flabby, over-excited and childish panda" we met in Jade Palace's arena into partially matured, the brave, trustworthy, sometimes serious and highly skillful Dragon Warrior. I mean... if he would be here right now, I would say that look at him. Since Kai's defeat and becoming the teacher, against all expectations, he he impressively adheres a strict training programs as seriously as Shifu. He's always obedient towards Shifu's orders – at least sometimes unless his curiosity takes him over... and the most important and most impressive thing about him is that..." Tigress listed,

"... his famous humorous nature..." Crane was about to say until Mantis landed on top of his hat and cut his words off.

"Plus his appetite, even though he has learned to control his appetite and lust for food." Mantis said.

"Yeah, that's what I was thinking about too, thanks for reminding me." Crane thanked Mantis a bit with the sarcastic tone, before he started again.

"Yep, as I was saying. The most important thing about him is that his his famous humorous nature and his panda-sized appetite are still clearly visible in his personality." Crane continued.

Tigress gave to the duo the unimpressed scowl, due to the fact that that was not what she was about to say at all.

She stood in her place for a while, staring Crane and Mantis reproachfully, before she opened her mouth again to continue what she was actually gonna say.

"That wasn't what I was gonna say. The most important thing about Po is that as the teacher, he's constantly up even before the Gong's sound in the morning and he's always waiting for us in here the Training Hall or Training Yard for the day's lessons... and usually never late from the lessons, from some a very important event such like the some great, famous and honored Kung Fu master's or the Emperor's messenger's visit..."

"And especially... never late from the dinner." Mantis said, cutting Tigress off from her words.

Tigress let from between of her lips the silent growl at Mantis as warning do not cut her off from her words again or else, which Mantis noticed and silently decided to back off, taking Tigress' warning very seriously, knowing that Tigress never bluffs about her threats.

"But today... Of course I understand that he wanted to go to investigate the late wolf activity in the bamboo woods, which was indeed a quite surprise to me too, but he was supposed, as he agreed with master Shifu, to be back here by now... more likely two hours ago... but he still isn't back. Even though I know that he has matured a lot, I won't be surprised if it turns out that Po has secretly disobeyed master Shifu's orders and slipped under of his investigation trip from today's lessons to catch some tranquility and fresh air, and now he probably had got lost in the bamboo woods, which has probably sealed his delay." Tigress said with a bit annoyed and impatient tone.

"And this way to be delay is the most cheapest excuse of being late from today's lesson in his tiny little trip in the bamboo woods than the excuse of oversleeping." She added.

I then opened my mouth to calm her down a bit.

"Sweetie. I'm a bit disagree with you on that one. I don't believe that Po's late just because he "get himself lost" in the bamboo woods which he knows better than anyone. And I also don't believe that he actually skipped today's lesson because of secretly planning to have himself his own time without telling about it to master Shifu. Besides, you should a bit relax, because your impatience threatens to turn into an obsession for training with or without Po." I said gently, patiently and soothingly to Tigress.

"Master Viper is right, Tigress dear." Grandma Panda suddenly said and handed over Lei Lei into Tigress paws.

"Besides, I don't know about you, but if Po is late or was sometimes late in the past, it's the good thing... at least for us pandas. Because oversleeping and being late from almost every event of the day, except from the breakfast, lunch, dinner and supper, is in the blood of pandas. Not counting in the everyday farming, we pandas are by our nature the masters of being wastrels, we have never been in a hurry to do anything you want to do, we have never been in a hurry to go where we want to go, because we have the all time of the world to do whatever we want to do, when we want to do, to where we want to go and when we want to go. Well, at least until then when Po showed up into our village with Li Shan and made all of us a half- wastrels. Now we pandas are the masters of both of being Kung Fu masters and wastrels. Oh, dear. You should have seen what kind of wastrel I was in my days of youth." Grandma panda suggested to Tigress.

Tigress sighed with the half-unimpressed expression on her face about Grandma panda's information about pandas being by their nature the big wastrels of all animals of China, which Po didn't seem to be from within when he got in here in the first place.

To Tigress' own kind, being wastrel was completely strange word or then the target of the great disgust. Because to the tigers like her, the everyday hard training was the most important part of their whole life and that the tigers were usually never such of wastrels like the pandas, except Po and some of his panda students.

However, I saw that Tigress didn't completely paid attention on that that what Grandma Panda had just said, but she was mostly focused on to motherly play with Lei Lei, who was lying on her left arm holding Po's action figures of Tigress and Mantis.

"Uh... dear, did you heard what I just sa-" Grandma Panda was about to say, until I slithered to next of her and gently shook my head from the side to another as the sign of "don't even bother."

"She did hear you, but to her the word "being wastrel is completely a strange word or because the tigers treats it with the great aversion, because the everyday hard training is an important part of her life... as well as to all of us. Of course, not offense towards your former lifestyle, Mrs. Grandma Panda." I said at first gently and then apologetically to Grandma Panda.

"Yes I did hear you, Grandma." Tigress said, confirming Grandma's beliefs that she didn't heard her incorrect.

"It's just... (sigh) it's just that it seems to me that as long as he's gone ... the situation here due to boredom and impatience seems to go even worse and worse with every second... and I'm not speaking about that thunderstorm outside." Tigress said, with the clear impatient tone in her voice.

MONKEY'S POV

"Okay, guys. Let's go." I whispered to the Dim and Sun as we were hiding together behind of one of the pillars of the training hall.

Unlike the others, I had spent some time with Dim and Sum instead of waiting for Po's return back to the Jade Palace and spent some time by joking with Po's cousins.

I had also noticed the boredom, which lied upon of my friends and Po's fellow pandas while waiting for certain Panda's return. So, I then a bit decided to do something with Po's cousins to banish the boredom from upon of my friends and fellow students.

As well as Po, also I have the good sense of humor

Negligently, the trio marched in front of their friends and fellow students.

"Has the boredom attacked to my poor defenseless friends? Then may we have your full attention please?" I exclaimed to my friends with Dim and Sum.

All pandas turned to look at us excited that what we had for them, while my friends, Tigress, Viper, Mantis and Crane turned to look at us with the bored or unimpressed expression on their faces.

Well, it was better than nothing.

"Ready Dim and Sum?" I asked as I turned to Po's cousins, who responded to me with the quick but positive node.

We held it back a little bit until...

Dim: (Burping) " _Here are the..."_

Sum: (Burping) " _Legends of the..."_

Me: (Burping) " _KUNG FU PANDA!"_

All of us three: (Burping) " _Doon-doon-doon-doon-da-bom-da-boom-boom"_

Dim: (Burping) " _Raised in a noode shop, never seeking glory or fame!"_

Sum: (Burping) " _He climbed the mountain top..."_

Me: (Burping) " _and earned the Dragon Warrior name!"_

All of us three: (Burping) " _Hoo-ha-yah! KUNG FU PANDA! Doon-doon-doon-doon-da-bom-da-doom-doom"_

Dim: (Burping) _"Master Shifu saw the warrior blossom..."_

Sum: (Burping) _"And master of bodacious and awesome!"_

Me: (Burping) _"KUNG FU PANDA!"_

All of us three: (Burping) "Doon-do-do-doon-do-do-doon-doon."

Dim and Sum: (Burping) _"He lives, he trains, and he fights with the Furious Five..."_

Me: (Burping) "Protect the Valley somethin', somethin', somethin' somethin' alive!"

All of us three: (Burping) " _Hoo-ha-yah! KUNG FU PANDA!"_

Me: (Burping) " _Legends of Awesomeness._ "

Dim and Sum: (Burping) _"Sweet!"_

That song was mostly created by Po during of his time here in the Jade Palace with us after becoming the Dragon Warrior – or mostly after beating Tai Lung.

And after my and Po's cousins performance, to which me and Po's cousins had trained for months by using the new tactic, burping, while singing, we all three stood in our place for a while waiting that how the rest of the Five and the pandas were gonna react to our burping song performance.

Our performance however was followed momentarily a quite awkward silence...

Until suddenly...

"COOL!" Came from all pandas as they started to clap their paws together as the sight of giving to us some credit for our performance.

My lips formed into the smile, and so did Dim and Sum's. Our the months lasting training for our performance wasn't in vain after all.

Even the rest of the Five started humorously to clap their paws, wings, claws – well, master Viper hadn't arms to clap to us... yet she had followed our performance with a quite unimpressed expression on her face.

However, ignoring this, I bowed down with Po's cousins for the credits.

"Thank you, thank you. You're all too kind." I thanked our "audience."

VIPER'S POV.

I really wasn't impressed that Monkey and Po's cousins actually sang Po's famous song by burping... more likely disgusted... and yet I was more dumbfounded that Mantis, Crane and even Tigress clapped for that.

The pandas did of course clap for Monkey and Po's cousins performance, because in their opinion, Monkey's and Po's cousins performance was somewhat funny.

Mantis and Crane were clapping most likely out of mere humor.

And Tigress was more likely clapping because of her mother-and-daughter bond with Lei Lei, who was sweetly giggling and clapping in Tigress arms to Monkey's and Po's cousins' performance, and Tigress followed the baby panda's example to show that she was "interested" and "impressed" just like that little fluffy sweetheart.

But I was able to spot the small sight of unimpressed expression on Tigress' face.

"Ugh! How can you guys even clap for that?! That was disgusting!" I said with the disgusted tone.

"Just humorously, Viper. The same boredom Tigress was suffering, is slowly but certainly starting to have the effect on us too. And besides, Monkey has probably spent too much time with Po's cousins, I think." Crane answered and immediately stopped from clapping.

"Yeah, just humorously. But seriously, I just can't believe that we, three warriors of Furious Five, the greatest warriors of all over China, clapped for Po's song sang by burping!" Mantis exclaimed, surprised and somewhat disgusted by his own actions.

"And unbelievable that even you clapped for that, Tigress." Mantis added.

With the rest of the guys, except the still clapping pandas, we all turned our eyes at Tigress, who was still clapping with Lei Lei at Monkey and Po's cousins along with Lei Lei, until she noticed that we were all looking straightly at her with the dumbfounded expressions.

She immediately stopped clapping to Monkey's and Po's cousins burping performance and took on her face her usual tough and serious expression, although I was able to see the blushing spots in Tigress cheeks out of a deep embarrassment.

With the deep sigh out of frustration, Tigress turned to us, but mentally she tried hard to keep herself under control in order to prevent her sensitive temper from exploding out of frustration again, now when Lei Lei was once again in her arms.

"What? No. That was not what it looked like. I was just... trying to... uh..." Tigress tried with her usual dead-serious tone of voice to make some excuse to her actions, until she went completely speechless and hesitant with her words and the answer as the slowly affecting embarrassing feeling overcame her.,

Eventually, Tigress gave up.

And as a sign of it, Tigress let out the deep sigh out from her mouth.

"Who am I even trying to kidding." She eventually let out from her mouth.

Seeing Tigress feeling herself embarrassment and unhappy, little Lei Lei took the concerning expression on her sweet little faces as the sign of worry for Tigress and reached her paws forward towards Tigress neck, offering her another comforting hug, which Tigress accepted with the motherly gentle smile and hugged back the little panda.

"AWWW." Came loudly from every panda's mouth as they saw this... yet again.

And when Tigress and Lei Lei eventually broke their embrace, Tigress began humorously tickle little panda's from the stomach, making the little sweetie to giggle happily and squirm in Tigress arms, which brought the warm and happy feeling inside of me.

And after tickling her for a while, Tigress handed Lei Lei over to grandma Panda's arms again before she turned to us yet again.

"You were right Mantis, I don't know – or I can't believe – that why I just clapped for such of disgusting way to sing Po's favorite song in front of all of us." She said.

"Hey! We were just trying to help to fade the boredom away, that's all!" Monkey protested with the openly offended tone.

"I know Monkey that you were trying to help by singing Po's favorite song, even though in the disgusting way, which ironically proved that you've been spending too much time with Po's cousins. But to be honest, your performance didn't worked completely. I feel that there's still the deep boredom upon of the Training Hall and it has been going on roughly over two hours, nearly three hours, although we've supposed to be working hard and sweaty in here in the evening's lesson or in our training exercise but here we're just standing filled with some stupid boredom and all just because of Po, for the first time since becoming the teacher of all of us, failed to return from his little trip in the bamboo woods in time as he and master Shifu agreed today's morning." Tigress said with the impatient tone.

I saw Mantis nodding eagerly at this.

"I'm a bit agreed. He probably just tricked master Shifu with that "investigation of this late wolf-activity" thing so that he could skip today's lessons and secretly sneak away to take off for today." Mantis guessed.

"That doesn't sounds like Po." Crane protested.

"Such of Kung Fu idol like Po would nearly never take off days nor overslept. Trust me, Mantis, we've seen this many times over while living with Po... or most likely mostly between some of times." Crane added.

"And who would be so stupid to stay outside in such of weather like this?" Monkey asked from us as he joined to our talking point.

Monkey's question got very soon the point, due to another violent and loud thunder bolt striking to the tree outside of the Training Hall with the extremely bright flash, and the wind pushed one of the doors open.

Little Lei Lei quickly hurried from Grandma Panda's arm back to Tigress arms and curled up in fear of the thunder bolt's bright light.

Also little Bao rushed behind of one of the pandas to hide from the thunderstorm out of fear.

These two little ones weren't maybe afraid of something compared to Kai's jombies back in the battle of the secret panda village – or at least Tigress had told me so because I was back then zombified like the rest of the Five and Shifu by Kai's supernatural powers – but the violent and yet ominous thunderstorm seemed to go over the borders of the little ones courage.

As little Lei Lei was shivering in fear in Tigress' arms after the loud thunder, Tigress gently wrapped her arms protectively and comfortingly around of the frightened little panda, motherly hushed at her and gently swung little panda in her arms to calm her down.

While she was doing that, Monkey and Crane closed the door to prevent the water to fly with the wind inside.

"Monkey has a point with that?"

"And besides, I've seen many times over in the previous days that Po have spent some time in the Jade Palace's stone balcony alone, looking down to the valley and to the direction where the bamboo woods are located, and where has been recent and weirdly non-hostile wolf-activity... and yet Po has been looking on that direction with the concerned and as dead serious-looking eye as Tigress nearly every time has. Besides, if Po's still out there in the bamboo woods, I sense that he is not intentionally late for today's lesson. I think that perhaps he's held back by something out there and he's late because of that... maybe this vicious storm, which is probably caused him to lose the direction back to Jade Palace, I think." I guessed.

"What if it's the wolves then and master Shifu told us that he had ordered Po not to engage them into the fight if their packs are too great for one warrior to be dealt off." Mantis reminded.

"I believe that Po obeys Shifu with that one. He's not so stupid to throw his life away like that in front of the overwhelming numbers of wolves." Me and Tigress said in unison, ironically surprising both of us and causing us to turn to each others with the widened eyes by surprise.

TIGRESS POV

I was a bit surprised that I and Viper surprisingly said that in unison.

However, I quickly snapped out of it.

"Po might be either held back by the storm or the several small packs of those wolves, but I don't think so that these two are enough to bring him down. He has already gone through of many deadly situations, like facing and defeating Tai Lung in which we all failed, near-experiencing the death in the wings of Lord Shen back in his traumatic childhood in the destruction of his birthplace and back in the factory of the Gongmen City when he was blasted out by Lord Shen's gigantic fire- and metal-spitting weapon and yet his Chi was nearly stolen and he was nearly turned into Jade-Zombie by supernatural Kai and so on, and yet he has survived to the present day." I said, nearly with the proud of him in my tone.

"That panda is quite deathless." Mantis said sarcastically, earning from the deep growl from me and angry hissing from Viper.

"But only with luck and the help of ours, Mantis." I added, remembering many of those times I've seen Po getting badly beaten and nearly got killed by the many of our foes we've faced together... and yet by those foes we've faced only for once in our lives, such like the dragon Ke-Pa crushing him to death while releasing the underworld demon to our world, the demon Ding nearly fading Po into void in his own mind while I was with him for having back the Spirit Orbs I accidentally allowed to get away, master Kweng, who nearly got both of us killed many times over as me and Po were chasing him in order to get back the message to which Po accidentally – well, maybe partially because of me – write the approval of the request to declare the war between of two clans and yet Undertaker Goat, who's summoned Jiang Shi ghosts nearly turned Po into one when me, Po and Monkey were trying to save zombified Shifu from turning into one as well.

"But I'll say that I'm have nearly enough of this standing idle. If Po is not back soon, then I'll go to master Shifu and ask his..." I started, but soon I was interrupted by someone who suddenly opened the door and walked in.

It was Master Shifu... with the soaking wet Master Ping and Li Shan with him.

 **TO BE CONTINUE...**

 **I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE READING.**


	12. 12: Argument

******CHAPTER 12. ARGUMENT  
******

 **ENJOY THE READING!**

TIGRESS POV

"And speaking of master Shifu..." Mantis whispered towards Tigress' direction.

As master Shifu entered to the Training Hall, he didn't paid any attention to anyone of us. He only closed his umbrella and shook it dry.

I was even able to hear him silently murmuring something with the unclear tone.

"He still has not returned?!" master Shifu asked from us with the very stern voice, but he still didn't look at anyone of us.

"Nope. Not any sight of him for roughly over couple hours from the time he was supposed to be back as you and him agreed." Mantis answered.

Master Shifu snorted loudly in frustration and walked circle in front of us murmuring something.

"I can't believe that Po is late, first time as the student and after becoming the teacher, he's roughly over two hours late from the time when he was supposed to be back. We had agreed that he comes back for today's lesson right at the mid-afternoon and yet he isn't back. I can't believe that after all of this he just... ate... his words." Master Shifu said with the deep disappointment and an annoyance in his voice.

And no wonder, because a moment ago I had the very similar tone of voice.

I knew that master Shifu was in the bad mood at the moment, I saw that clearly from his eyes, from his stern and frustrated tone and current behavior, and it was not only because of the bad weather rampaging outside.

Then, master Shifu turned to us with the grim and stern expression in his face. This was a too familiar to me from the times of my youth under his wings, which brought in my mind many unpleasant memories. Because master Shifu had nearly every time, since my first day at the Jade Palace, that very similar expression on his face when he raised and trained me (and later the rest of the Five) as his student and yet as adopted daughter... though with the harsh, harder-demanding and not-always-so-fatherly manners instead of the warm, supporting, encouraging and fatherly manners like he did with Tai Lung long time ago before me, before Po and before of anyone of us.

He looked alternately to all of us, twice, and his expression changed from annoyed and disappointed to wondering and the interrogating look.

"Three hours from the beginning of the lesson and you're all just standing next to the door? Why no one on you has been practicing?!" He asked sternly and with the frustrated tone, demanding immediately the answers from someone of us.

From the corner of my eye, I saw that every panda in the hall, except Po's father, a slightly backed off towards the wall after master Shifu's harsh voice. Even a little Lei Lei curled up in my arms.

I was about to answer to Shifu until Mantis spoke at first, unexpectedly cutting me off my words.

"Because if I remember exactly, the last thing we were told was to practice under of the guidance of our teacher and only after the teacher returns to lesson, master." Mantis answered with the respectful bow.

"But, unfortunately, our teacher have still not returned. And we can't practice a new things without our current teacher's guidance, only the old ones lessons we've already mastered. And because of that, we're three hours behind schedule." Crane added.

"And only because our lazy, disobedient and irresponsible panda teacher Po is late from the lesson." Mantis sarcastically added, after which I heard Viper hissing angrily at him.

Despite being the panda, Po was far away from being lazy, disobedient and irresponsible. I knew that very well because I've seen this happening many times over. He owned extremely impressive ability to feel responsibility for all his actions which have sometimes caused chaos, near-disaster and trouble in the Jade palace and the Valley of Peace. His sense of responsibility has reached to a level that, if something goes terribly wrong because of him, because many things have gone wrong mostly because of him, he also tries with everything he got to set things right in the way they were.

The biggest example is when he got unintentionally all of us, including Master Shifu, replaced and kicked out from the Jade Palace after he was treacherously tricked by Junjie. UGH! I remember that day and its following days well. I remember how blind and foolish we all actually were to fall into Junjie's treacherous trap and only one of us got to bear the consequences as innocent. And I remember the way how we all, blind to the truth, treated Po afterwards Junjie's trap, angrily blaming him for "destroying" everything we had all worked our lives towards as warriors and yet rejected him.

Although Po does not seems to hold any grudge against every emotionally hurting insults or harsh and ill treatment and that he's quite forgiving person, even though he would be facing the most hurting insult, his forgiveness does not always wipe out all of the feeling of remorse what mostly I feel inside of me if I am unintentionally, albeit annoyed, hurt his feelings.

"How long should we still wait for Po's return, master? We're begin to slowly die of boredom." Monkey suddenly complained, snapping me out of my thoughts.

As I turned my head back from those three to master Shifu, I saw that he was scratching his head with his finger while thinking something.

"I don't know... but I just can't believe that why he's still outside in this weather." He said.

"Well, there would be many reasons for that, master. Maybe Po just created this whole investigation of the wolf-activity-thing as a excuse to secretly sneak away and take off for today to catch some fresh air instead of the air of the Training Hall." Mantis guessed.

Crane suddenly shook Mantis off his hat and he fell on his feet to the floor in middle of us and when he looked up, he saw all of us surrounding him and, including master Shifu, Mr. Ping and Li Shan, scowling down at him for a while, with the scolding looks in mine and everyone else eyes, which I sensed to be much more stern and grim in my, Shifu's and Po's fathers eyes...

"What? It was just a guess, okay" He said to all of us, defending himself under of our scowling looks.

"Even though you already guessed that same thing, Mantis. Maybe more than just once." Crane said.

"And you should know clearly that Po is far away from your baseless belief, Mantis." I said sternly to him, nearly baring my teeth out of frustration of Mantis baseless guesses and even letting out the deep growls to escape from between of my teeth.

We all kept scowling down at Mantis... from which Mantis apparently grew frustrated.

"Hey! C'mon, guys! How do we even know if Shifu did not happen to snatch him from attempting to sneak away from the Jade Palace in sunrise, but he happened to had his eyes yet still half-asleep from meditating and paid no attention to him. Or how do we even know if Shifu and Po did not either agreed of this the last night when we all were asleep, thus allowing Po freely to skip today's lessons and to go to his so-called investigation trip to the bamboo woods?" Mantis said with the frustrated tone.

Shifu then tapped with his staff's end to the wooden ground of the Hall... right next to Mantis to get his attention.

"At first, master Mantis, the meditation is completely different from sleeping because I can be aware of everything happening during the nighttime, while someone in deep sleep may hardly even feel the pass of time. And secondly, Po was yesterday the very first one of all of us to go to the sleep before anyone else did after that long and hard training day... and that happened soon after the sunset, after which I headed to my own room at Jade Palace to meditate for the night, after which I've not been in connection with him and we didn't agreed anything about Po's today's investigation trip to the bamboo woods... until this morning." Shifu said with the scolding tone to Mantis.

"Po has even proved himself to be the very first one awake before anyone of us and before the sound of the gong. We've all already saw that since his second day in here if you remember, Po is sometimes the first or second awake before anyone of us and before the sound of the gong. So, if Po in fact skipped today's lessons and sneaked from the Jade Mountain to his investigation trip without me saying anything nor even spotting him from doing so, as you claim, master Mantis, then why did I mentioned about that I spotted him in the morning standing outside of the training yard and looking down to the valley?"

Shifu's scolding words to Mantis somewhat got Mantis totally dumbfounded as he seemed to have a difficulties to find a words to argue back...

...until he finally got himself gathered together and formed himself into the respectful bow in front of Shifu.

"My apologies, master Shifu." Mantis said with the apologizing tone.

"I'm just a bit frustrated... or more likely sick of this waiting, as Po is still absent and already for three hours late... for some yet to us unknown reason, which is best to be reasonable enough." Mantis added.

"Or maybe this ominous storm got Po to get confused with the directions and got himself lost in the woods and is held back because of that. Maybe that's the reasonable reason to that that why he isn't back at the time when he was supposed to come back as you agreed this morning. What do you think about that, Master?" Mei Mei suddenly guessed, having heard from aside everything I and the Five had spoken with each others.

After letting Mei Mei's words sink into himself, Shifu started to consider the facts and the false parts of this guess for a while.

I myself was nearly expecting Shifu to doubt the fact of Po getting lost to the bamboo woods... even under of such of thunderstorm like this... as some of us already guessed before Shifu's and Po's father's appearance.

"That's not the reasonable fact, Mei Mei. Po knows these bamboo woods all too well for getting himself lost there... including under of the thunderstorms, though not as vicious ones as this one." Shifu said, openly expressing his doubts to the guess of Po getting himself lost to the woods he already knew too well.

"But whatever is holding him back, he'd better be on his way here, as soon as possible. Because as soon as he returns, I'm going to keep him a decent scolding speech for being late and disobeying the direct orders." Shifu added sternly as he turned away from us and started slowly walk towards the another side of the Training Hall.

We all stood there in silence, having locked our eyes and attentions to master Shifu, as he kept walking away from us.

"Why are you two so soaking wet?" I suddenly heard Monkey saying/asking this.

Monkey's sudden question prompted me to turn my eyes and attention from Shifu to Viper and Monkey's direction, as they were standing in front of Mr. Ping and Li Shan, as they were passing us slowly, wet and the heads down.

"Out of all concern for our son Po being out there alone and in this hideous weather, we attempted to sneak away from the Jade Palace to the bamboo woods to look for him and bring him back, until we had a fierce argument among ourselves about that who of two of us has the best abilities to find Po without being caught and killed by those wolves swarming out there, which unfortunately led us to be caught in the act by master Shifu." Mr. Ping said as he shook his feathers to dry.

"Even though he seemingly saw through of our lies to go to Mr. Ping's house to check that had Po went there to shelter out of the rain, he accompanied us down there to check there, but when we arrived there, Po wasn't there and we came back to the Jade Palace." Li Shan said.

At least I got to know by listening from aside Po's fathers answers to Monkey's question that Po wasn't back in Mr. Ping's house.

In fact, going there out of the rain would have been the reasonable explanation enough to that that why Po was late... even though Po wasn't afraid of the thunder storms.

Suddenly, Mantis' words snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Master? Because Po has been out there far too long and late already three hours from the agreed time he should've been back and from the beginning of today's lesson, so may I ask you if you could run the teaching lesson until he returns?" Mantis humbly asked as he slowly walked after master Shifu.

I saw that Shifu sternly stopped from walking and turned back to Mantis with the stern expression on his face.

"No! Master Mantis. I am not your teacher anymore but the Grand master of the Jade Palace. Why else I wear this green cape on me if not as a sign of the title of the Grand master. And as the Grand Master, my duty is to meditate, keep the peace on the Valley of Peace and the situation and the students under of their new teacher under control and obedience. Besides, as I've already told to you, the responsibilities of teaching has fell on Po's shoulders, so Po is now your teacher, not me, not even back then when I kept this morning's lesson to you on his behalf because he was investigating this wolf activity in the bamboo woods." Shifu said sternly down to Mantis.

"But master, we're dying to boredom if we just stand here doing nothing." Monkey complained before Mantis managed to get any protesting word out of his mouth.

"Then, you do not need to just stand there and wait to learn a new techniques as you can always go through all already learned techniques over and over again and strengthen your skills as an amusement." Shifu explained that as the solution.

I was agree with Master Shifu, because it was always a good thing to to practice already learned techniques over and over again to strengthen them even better and to be ready for anything with the double strengthened skills.

However, Po's cousins were disagree with me.

"AWWW!" They groaned loudly.

"But Master. Because Po isn't here right now to teach us a new total awesome Kung Fu techniques, can't we just take the one day off? Even for one day?" Dim asked.

I rolled my eyes at this.

Despite saying Po's usual words after witnessing something unprecedented and magnificent, Po's cousins seemingly weren't as much interested about Kung Fu – possibly after learning the true meaning of kung fu training – even though they have learned some techniques like some devastating kicks while attacking from above of their opponents.

"No! You're not gonna take any day offs. And as I've already told you, young panda, the real Kung Fu warrior's most important duty is train long and hard for every day to be prepared for any kind of new and old threat or the warrior will fall himself instead of his opponent if he hasn't trained enough, strengthened his already learned skills enough and learned a new techniques and trained then over and over again enough. Po has already learned this a long time ago, and if he was able to do that despite of being panda, then you can too."

As Master Shifu and Po's cousins started to protest with each others which eventually turned into the argument, the rest of the five and Po's father's were talking with each others and even the pandas were murmuring with each others...

...I was able to heard under of the noisy and loud welter that every person of this room was mentioning about Po, about him being out there in the violent and ominous thunderstorm, among of the savage and hostile wolf packs and many different guesses and baseless beliefs about the cause of his delay. And everything what I had gone through with the guesses of the members of the Furious Five...

...had not changed in anyway. All the guesses and baseless beliefs of that one thing were all the same and some of us believed to believe to these guesses and some of us refused to deny their baseless beliefs.

This continued about less than half an hour and during of which I kept my eyes to the outside, where the thunderstorm was rampaging and going even violent than ever... and to think that Po is still out there in that hideous weather and in the wolves swarming bamboo woods, probably either held back by their packs and yet even lost from his way.

At least I believed so.

And then, I had enough of this... and especially of this useless arguments about Po in between of my friends.

"ENOUGH!" I suddenly and loudly roared out of the deep frustration.

My roar fortunately silenced everyone in the Training Hall and they all turned look at me with the silent but yet startled and confused looks on their faces.

And then, I turned back to Master Shifu.

"Master, I beg your permission to go out into the bamboo woods, with Crane as my companion, to look for Po so that we can bring him back, finally put aside this useless argument and go back to training." I eventually declared.

Master Shifu took the stern look on his face as he looked at me and I knew already that his answer was gonna be negative to my request.

"Master Shifu, I beg your permission to go with them." Li Shan suddenly said as he stepped next to me, on my side.

"It's about my son being out there either lost in the woods because of this hideous storm or then he's surrounded by those savage wolves. Besides, master Tigress is right. The more we will continue this pointless argument and what kind of problem my son has ever got himself into, my son might be in the grave danger or something even as we speak. And like Tigress, I'm also tired of waiting and listening from aside this pointless argument. We have to go out there to look for him." Li Shan added with the expression, which told me that he was ready to go with me and some members of the Five to go out there to look for Po.

"So we gotta put this argument aside and form the search party from the volunteers of us and to be sent out there immediately to look for Po before something really bad happens to him as this ominous storm is somehow telling to us. We beg you, master Shifu. We have to go out there to look for him." Mr. Ping added with the pleading voice and concerned expression on his face.

All three of us hoped desperately and deeply inside of our hearts that master Shifu's answer would be positive... and for that, I gently dropped Lei Lei on her feet to the floor so that I can get into the ready position and prepared myself to rush through the Training Hall's doors without waiting for the others as soon as we could get an answer from Shifu, which I desperately hoped to be positive.

Despite the ominous thunderstorm a violent lightning out there, I was immediately ready to leap off from the cliff and fall through the stormy air on one of the roofs of the village's building and rush with all fours towards the bamboo woods to search for Po. And with Crane on my side looking for Po from the skies, the search would be a bit easier despite the possible fog in the woods caused by the storm.

However...

"Permission denied." Shifu suddenly said, which shocked all of us, especially Po's fathers.

I knew that master Shifu had probably a very good reason to that, but that did not prevent me from protesting his decision to his negative answer.

"Master, look, I know that as the Grand master of the Jade Palace and ruler of the Valley, every word coming from your mouth is the law and order here and I have no wish to disobey you in anything, but this argument about Po's sudden and inexplicable delay is going to threatens to bust out of control as we just sit and wait here and shot to each others the baseless guesses and beliefs even though we do not fully know what's holding Po back in the woods, either those wolves or the storm itself. I've already waited for too long in here waiting for his return, whatever is holding him out there, and now I say that we're gonna all look for him and if we just keep sitting here in our boredom and wait for his return I'M GOING CRAZY IF THIS CONTINUES LIKE THIS YET FOR A SECOND!" I explained as I raised my voice in frustration and sudden anger like Temutai always does.

"And Master, maybe the only and much more reasonable reason for Po's delay is that he's lost and held back by the storm or the wolves and..." Viper tried to protest herself, with the shocked expression on her face.

"The storm and the wolves are the reasons why I forbid anyone of you going out there. I don't like my final decision me neither, but one delayed or lost panda and warrior because of either this storm or those wolves is already too much, and there's no point to get anymore pandas and warriors to be lost in the woods or to be surrounded by those wolves. Besides, this is not the first time when Po has fought and survived on his own from the mob of bandits. Even though I'm disappointed if he had disobeyed my direct order to not engage the wolves if their numbers are too high, I'm sure that Po can take care of himself until he's back." Master Shifu sternly explained.

"BUT MASTER..." Me, every member of the Five and Po's fathers complained in unison, only to be sternly silenced by master Shifu.

"ENOUGH! NO BUTS FROM ANYONE! None of you will not go anywhere until Po's back! You'll all spend the rest of the day by practice your already learned skills as remedial teaching. I'm now going to Jade Palace to meditate and do not even try to sneak away, because if you do, I'll sense it and place every sneak under the house arrest for two months. DISMISSED!" Master Shifu said exclaimed harshly and exited the Training Hall, forgetting to close the doors.

Me and the rest of the Five, plus Po's fathers and some pandas followed him as he opened his umbrella and stepped into the rain, starting to walk towards Jade Palace before he disappeared to the rain.

There was a brief silence, until Mantis broke it.

"Do not we just might be able to sneak out after he's inside of the palace? It doesn't help just standing here and do nothing." He said.

"Didn't you hear, what Master Shifu just said?" Viper asked from him with the questioning expression on her face.

"And if you didn't, then by all means and go ahead. You are free to try to sneak away, Mantis, but only if you want to be two months placed under the house arrest by Master Shifu." Monkey said sarcastically.

Crane chuckled a bit at this.

And so did Po's cousins, even though they, however, tried their best to hold it back, because I've seen many times how those two were beaten badly to the ground by Mantis when he got too offended by their chuckling behind of his back. And yet, as a small revenge, he had offered the medical treatment to them in the form of Acupuncture.

Oh, yeah, I remember that night. It was much worse than the time when Mantis treated Po with the same medical treatment. None of us, none even Po nor the rest of the pandas, weren't able to relax in meditation, focus to our leisure doings, nor even sleep. I yet even gave them the threat that if they're not quiet, I'll kick them out from the barracks and force them to sleep outside.

"The wings of humor." Crane chuckled

"The antlers of... "it's not funny" thing". Mantis muttered.

However, Po's fathers weren't in quite humorous mood. They were both sick by the deep worry for Po's well being. And no wonder. Because they had no idea, as well as none of us, that what kinda trouble Po had got himself into out there in the bamboo woods due to being late from today's lesson like this. And yet, they were both still shocked and unable to believe their ears after master Shifu's shocking decision and response to our request to go out there to look for Po and bring him back.

"So, what are we gonna do now?" Mr. Ping asked with the silent and concerned tone.

I let out the deep sigh of frustration and leaned against the door.

"All what we can do, if do as Master Shifu had just said." I grimly answered.

Li Shan turned to me with the eyes widened by the shock and disbelief.

"What? B-but what about Po? Are we just gonna leave him out there? But we gotta go after him to look for him! We can't just leave him out there." He protested.

He kept protesting until I finally raised my paw towards him demanding the panda to be quiet, because I had already enough of this argument, protesting and complaining relating only and all the time to Po's delay.

"I don't like this me neither, but what we can do? If master Shifu believes that there's nothing to worry for Po's well-being because he has many times over beat any kind of strong enemy or the group of bandits on his own and always survived, then so do I. And the most important of all, we must obey the Grand master of the Jade palace what ever he wants and orders us to do. Even though Po sometimes ignores the rules of the Jade palace or does something stupid which leads to the disaster, he still obeys humbly and with respect master Shifu's orders as all of us do. And if you think that he's not concerned for Po's well-being as much as you, Mr. Ping, everyone in here are, then you're badly wrong. And yet master Shifu got the point with that as he explained his reasons to his answer to our request by forbidding anyone of us to go out there and get ourselves either to be lost in the storm or got surrounded by the wolves. So, we have to wait!"

I saw clearly that Li Shan was a bit dumbfounded to this explanation.

"But didn't you just said, that you'll go crazy if you have to keep waiting for Po's return?" Li Shan asked with the confused expression.

I crossed my arms and created the stern look towards Li Shan.

"It wasn't just about the waiting, Li Shan. I'll go crazy if we guys have to shot out any more excuses, baseless guesses and beliefs about Po's sudden and inexplicable delay. Yes, I will endure the waiting, as long as others do not begin to repeat again everything that they had already and falsely claimed about Po's delay. But the best way to cool my high-sensitive and easily-exploding temper is to practice to discharge the anger and frustration and relax him/herself from the extra annoyance, and I enjoy it."

Then, I slowly turned my eyes away from Li Shan, leaning my head against the door. It was in my usual way of acting like the hardcore, but I didn't realize that I was softening the hard expression on my face and unintentionally showing my own deep concern for Po's well-being and safety to Li Shan.

The last times I remember me to be feeling like that were back in the factory in the Gongmen City as Po was ambushed by Lord Shen and his wolves and nearly killed twice during of his search for the answers for his parents fate before he got blasted out of the factory by Lord Shen's cannon and I was unable to save him because of Lord Shen's herds of his elite warriors... and another time was back in the battle of the Secret Panda Village, when Po's plan to send Kai back to the Spirit Realm with the Fuxi Finger Hold failed and he got badly beaten by the supernatural warrior.

The others hve teased me about of it, calling it as the sign of love. AND BAH! I rather call it as the friendly concern and the deep loyalty of the friend.

"But still, despite master Shifu's own claims and beliefs, I desperately hope that Po is okay out there... and I even hope that he'll come back soon." I murmured silently.

 **To be continue...**

 **I hope that you enjoyed this chapter.**


	13. 13: Chased across the Mountains

******CHAPTER 13. CHASED ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS  
******

 **ENJOY THE READING!**

PO'S POV

The day was imperceptibly turning to the evening and the air was getting even more darker along with this nearly whole day lasted dark thunderstorm.

The storm was just getting even worse in the sky in every minute.

As my own home trip became increasingly difficult in every minute.

The pouring rain was getting both heavier and tighter, which greatly bothered my eyes, forcing me to wipe the water off from my eyes between of the five minutes.

My hooded cape wasn't helping to keep me dry at all. It had been severely damaged from previous battles with the wolves, and it was yet torn into shreds due to the claw-like branches of the other trees. In fact, the hooded cape was a useless rag.

The wind was getting so strong that it, along with the numerous lighting bolts that stroke with the violent and destructive force to the taller bamboo trees, easily snapping as well as the weak and strong bamboo trees down blocking the roads, greatly complicating my way back to Jade Palace.

Even some gentle rivers in the bamboo woods had turned into the flooding rogue rivers, over of which was nearly impossible to get.

And because of that, I had to return back to Jade Palace through of another way...

A cliffs of the mountains outside of the Valley of Peace.

I remember and know this mountain area full of high cliffs and the deep foggy chasms, because it used to be the same area where I and Furious Five happened to stop one pack of Lord Shen's wolves from stealing the metal stuff from the Artisan Village for Lord Shen's weapons of conquest several years ago.

Which was also the battle that pulled me and my fellow warriors into our war with Lord Shen through of the Gongmen City some time later after I got a vision of my now-dead mother saving my life from Shen's invaders in my birthplace long ago.

I did not dare to go back to that village for a need for the shelter from the rain, because the wolves were probably still after me and I did not wanted to lead them to the village, which people had already experienced the invasion of Lord Shen's wolves.

So I just kept heading back towards the Valley of Peace.

This was usually quite dangerous area, even for the experienced traveler and Kung Fu warrior, especially during of such of ominous weather like this.

The pouring rain made the cliffs to be quite slippery.

I was also near to fall over the cliff into the deep foggy chasm, because my leg slipped in the edge of the cliff and caused me to fall over.

The pouring rain had caused the edge of the cliff to become completely wet and covered by the running rain water... which also made the cliff very slippery.

I slid through the steep and with the rain water covered slopes of the cliff, unable to grab from anything and nothing was on my way to stop my uncontrollable sliding towards the edge of the cliff, which could have sent me to fall down to my death.

However, before I did even fall completely off from the cliff and to a certain death in the chasm, I barely had time to grab just in time from something, probably from the boulder attached to the edge or from the strong tree, to prevent myself from falling completely over the cliff and to the chasm.

Climbing back to the edge wasn't easy, because the upright stone walls beneath of the edge of the cliff, where I was hanging for my dear life, was also quite slippery due to the pouring rain water, which was also floating over the edge and landing on my face, making climbing even more difficult because I couldn't use my eyes to see to where I was placing my leg to get some support to jump to the cliff and from what I was holding with my paws and pulling me up to the cliff.

However, despite the slippery walls and to the face floating rain water, I eventually managed to climb onto and pull myself up back to the edge.

Another problem here was the strong storm winds, which with the fierce flurry kept nearly every time knocking me off from my feet over to the ground. Especially if I was walking upright in the higher places of this rocky area.

The winds also nearly knocked me off from the edges of the cliffs.

This dangerous problem then forced me to keep moving towards the Valley of Peace safely in the lower cliffs and path ways.

Third problem was, that the repeating and bright lighting caused some lighting bolts to strike to the cliff above of me, which caused the boulders, a fist-sized ones, medium sized ones which were enough to crush the heads, and the gigantic ones, if the lighting bold happened to split the entire cliff with its raw power, to fall down on me as a life-threatening rock slides.

One time when this happened, I managed barely escape from beneath of one such of, which took the pathway with it down to the foggy abyss.

And yet fourth problem, the foggy chasms.

The chasms were quite huge between of the cliffs and there was also a very wide space between of the cliffs, so it demanded from me everything I got from the strength of my legs, reflexes and my speed to jump over the chasm after chasm, depending on how long the jumps were, how far away were the edges of the cliffs from each other and in what different levels the cliffs were.

well, I barely made it over the chasms and narrowly landed to the edges of the cliffs after every long leap, if the cliffs were on the same level with each others.

And of course I didn't walk on the cliffs and path ways...

...but instead, I was running...

...and not just simply because, as I had to rush back to the Jade Palace, where everyone most certainly was at the moment wondering that where I was.

I was running for my dear life.

And as I ran, I did not dare to look behind of me nor even peek over of my shoulders, because I knew it would have only slowed me down, as I sensed that I was followed by the new one and fresh pack of the wolves, who were right on my tail!

Each one of these wolves of this pack were running down by all fours while chasing me along these cliffs, and running down on all fours made all of them even faster than me... and no wonder, because I was running for them with two legs, that were shorter than theirs and that I had to carry with them all my weight, while the wolves needed only to lean their own body weight forward to make them to run even faster on all fours.

If I was the same species with Tigress, it would be much easier to run faster with all fours and jump without the problems over the chasms.

Because the path ways of this rocky area were like kind of labyrinth, and I already knew these cliffs... maybe even better than these wolves, I tried my best to trick these wolves to get themselves lost on the cliffs by sneaking through the secret path ways, tunnels, barely spacious tight alleys and dangerously narrow path ways against the upright stone wall to another safer path ways.

And I also took the several and quick short cuts through the places, such of pit-like or in danger of collapse being chasms, crossing of which were nearly impossible and quite dangerous.

I managed at least couple times to sent the wolves into confusion and get them lost in the rocks, which bought me a bit more time to get away from them.

However, the wolves had their scouts to scout the nearby cliffs, which I failed to take a notice, and every time when one of the scouts managed to track me down with their quite excellent sense of smell or spot me going from far, they signaled to the others with the signal howling and the pack was soon right behind of me.

And not just Lord Shen's wolves.

Also Heilang and his own from my counter-attack recovered pack was right behind of me.

And the gorilla, whom I'd managed to beat a some hours ago and who was now covered by the multiple bruises I caused on him, had recovered from his humiliating defeat and was among the wolves and in the hot pursuit as well, more angrier than ever.

And because of his gigantic size and super strength, the gorilla easily kept up with the wolf pack's speed running with all fours as faster as they did.

And the gorilla also climbed through the cliffs and uneven upright stone walls, jumped easily over the wide and deep foggy chasms – of course from the spots in which it was impossible for me to jump them over – and jumped easily from the top cliff to another as it kept up after me.

And worst of all, they were slowly but steadily catching up to me.

I just kept running.

The previous fights with the wolves and the gorilla had already drained my strength nearly completely and all this running for my dear life was just draining it more.

I should have take some food and water from the kitchen before even leaving from the Jade palace to investigate this wolf activity.

I just kept running...

...running...

...running...

...running...

...running...

...and one more time, running, for my dear life through the pouring rain.

Eventually, after a final leap over the small side chasm, I ended up to land onto the edge of the wide and flat cliff-side, that was pushing out from at a steep angle standing mountain side with a wide view to the horizon, and the edge was located near of the top of this mountain and just above of the the gigantic and wide chasm covered with the clouds and fog.

The place itself was very near of the border of the Valley of Peace, so I finally had a moment to stop from running to catch some breath after so rapid running for my dear life through of these cliffs for hours.

Panting heavily due to all of that rapid running for my dear life, I closed my eyes and lowered my head down. I also leaned forward and placed my paws of my knees for support.

All what I felt was the physical strain all around of my body, my deep panting coming in and out of my throat and the pouring rain hitting against my back and head.

However, I found myself soon to be surrounded by a new huge and fresh wolf pack, which had been chasing me all this time... and this time the pack's size/number was at least over eight dozen.

There was so much wolves to fill with their numbers half of the cliff-side where I was standing with them, blocking with their numbers all the ways to escape and cornering me against to the mountain side.

They were all glaring at me with their viciously blood-red glowing eyes and grinning at me both widely and viciously, as they knew that they had trapped me here, and that I was too exhausted to fight them all.

I was at their mercy.

Suddenly, as the most of them settled in the battle positions, the ones in middle of the group were like moving out of the way of something coming from behind of them, leaving the cap between of the wolves.

Suddenly, the gorilla landed in between of the wolf packs with the such of brutal power and all of his weight, that it caused some small rocks and wet sticks, plus some water, near of the gorilla's landing spot to either jump briefly into the air or shake from the gorilla's landing force.

The gorilla looked at me, growling viciously, while holding his kanabo-mace in his arm.

Also, suddenly, Heilang and his wolves landed one by one out of nowhere to the gorilla's side and took the battle-ready positions after their landing...

...Heilang in front of the gorilla and his wolves.

"Aww, did the little panda, the Dragon Warrior himself, got himself trapped on this cliff-side like the rat?" Heilang said with the extremely mocking tone.

This caused all the wolves nearby to burst into the mocking laugh at this.

Becoming a laughing-stock wasn't uncommon for me. Except if I tried to make others to laugh with my good sense of humor.

I remember that long before my glory days as the Dragon Warrior, when I lived in my father's Noodle Shop, I was many times over being a main laughing-stock by the visiting villagers when I accidentally messed up in something back during of my work: such like accidentally burning my paw in the side of the hot cauldron and in pain messed my father's kitchen or slipping to the noodles lying on the ground while serving the visitors and getting their ordered meal on my head.

Well, I was at least so lucky that my goose father never shamed me but instead encouraged me and supported me – even though not for Kung Fu.

And as I told master Shifu a long ago, being a main laughing-stock by the others and being mentally humiliated in the front of the villagers like that was more, much more, hurtful and stressful than all of that being physically and mentally hurt and humiliated on my first days at the training in the Jade Palace.

To me, it was an honor to meet and to be trained as Dragon Warrior by the one, who understood my problems due to being as physically and spiritually burdened like me.

The wolves just kept mocking me, as I stared at them with the mentally unhurt spirit while I was panting due to my exhaustion of all of that running for the dear life plus previous fight against the packs and that gorilla.

Even the pouring rain, which watered My fur soaking wet, caused me to feel myself a bit heavier than useful.

Maybe it's also one to be blamed for my heavy feeling.

Heilang then stood up and walked a bit closer to me.

"What will you do now, Dragon Warrior? " Heilang mocked me.

"Face it, panda. We've won. You're surrounded. You have no way to escape from here and from our grasp now. You're all alone, not having the rest of the Furious Five on your side, meaning no help is coming for you. You're exhausted, you cannot stand against all of us at the same time nor for a long. We have more than you, we are stronger than you, we are better than you. You cannot even outrun us, you cannot outmatch us nor outsmart us with your so-called little "Dragon-Warrior" tricks." Heilang laughed mockingly.

Also the rest of the wolves joined top the laugh.

I just kept staring at them while still heavily panting.

"And those pathetic villagers calls you as a Dragon Warrior. Well, let me to tell you what you really are. You're not the Dragon Warrior. You're nothing more than just a pathetic, indescribable, childish, disgusting, filthy, lousy, lazy, clumsy and a big, fat panda." Heilang mocked as he came closer and closer...

...until he was close enough to poke me to my head with a finger of his right paw.

"Just quit to be Dragon Warrior, if you don't know how to be kind." Heilang mocked.

But before he managed to land his finger on my head, I lifted and pulled my arm towards him and grabbed from his finger with two of my fingers and pointed my pink up, without lifting myself in the upright position nor even looking at him, and revealing to the surprised one-eyed wolf that I had got him...

...INTO LEGENDARY _FUXI-FINGER-HOLD!_

The entire pack, even the gorilla, gasped loudly in unison in sudden surprise and deep shock after after I had done this.

Also Heilang looked at this hold in with the shocked eyes, until his eyes turned to me when I finally lifted my head up with the sly expression on my face as I stood upright.

"Wrong, as I've told you already a long time ago, I am the Dragon Warrior!" I said with the mighty tone.

"Plus, I'm not a big fat panda, Heilang. I'm THE big fat panda." I added.

Heilang looked at me with the shock and horror like he was about to go on his kneels and beg mercy from me in a front of me.

"The last guy who called me a big fat panda, got quite a punch from my pinky." I said, quite humorously but yet with the mighty-like tone as I remembered how I gained my very first victory over of my first enemy Tai-Lung back in my first days as Dragon Warrior with the same way.

"But because I am too kind..." I said with the grin, as I executed my good old panda styled technique called "belly gong" by pulling my stomach backwards before I eventually launched it forward and towards Heilang, sending the wolf boss to fly off his feet into the air... and causing him after his flight in arch across the air to directly land over of his own pack, knocking all seven wolves out at once

After I had with the cool way defeated Heilang and his pack with the one belly gong-technique, I turned to the rest of the pack.

I also at the same time received the memory of one master Shifu's very important lesson.

 _A REAL WARRIOR NEVER QUITS!_

"Your leader is right. I might be alone, I might be outnumbered, I might be exhausted and because of that, maybe even unable to defeat all of you." I told to the wolves, who were a bit confused after I officially confirmed this in front of their overwhelming pack.

"But despite the that, I AM the Dragon Warrior. I am KUNG FU PANDA! I am kung fu Warrior! And a real warrior... never... QUUUUUUUUITS!" I let out the mighty bellow...

...as I summoned all my remaining strength together and leaped into the air and flew across the air towards the wolf back, as I took my staff from my back into my paw, split it into two pieces and turned them into the nunchucks.

And with the help of the powers of my Chi, I was even able to make my nunchucks loose heads to glow with the golden light like the heated metal, increasing my weapons with the extra energy of my Chi's power, much to the wolves astonishment,

The wolves were greatly surprised after I saw me suddenly attacking them.

I landed in middle of their pack, and I started to whack the wolves heads with the nunchakus loose ends while spinning them rapidly.

The badly surprised wolves tried to counter-attack to me, but I was already gained the upper paw over the pack.

I used my newly found incredible speed as I quickly dodged or blocked every attack the wolves laid on me and I performed the quick finishing counter-attacks against my every briefly against me standing opponent, before I quickly turned from the defeated one to another to-be-defeated one.

I blocked the wolves strikes with the swords with my nunchaku's chains, with which I also sometimes captured my opponents weapons before I performed the finishing move on my opponent.

During the fight, I knocked the plenty of swords and spears off from every wolf's paws by hitting them with my nunchucks loose ends to their fingers, which caused the wolves to yelp in pain and release their grip from the handle of their weapons.

I also did a lots of straight or hooked kicks to their faces and chests after blocking their attacks or disarming them, knocking several times three wolves down with the one kick.

I also performed several handwork skills with the nunchucks by spinning them rapidly from my paw to another around of by body and over of my shoulders as I launched my attacks against the wolves when they attempted to surround me and pull me down with the strength of numbers.

And thanks to my swift handwork with the nunchucks and the speed I successfully maintained while handling them, I managed to direct their loose ends directly to the attacking wolves' heads from side to another, knocking them one by one unconscious with the one quick and rather hard strike.

I also once spun myself around and lifted my right legs into a high swing to the level of the heads, taking down and out the three wolves with one kick to their heads, and after that I knelt down to dodge another three wolves swords and spear targeted to my head and spun myself around again, extending my left leg out and towards the wolves legs, tripping them off from their feet.

I was also at least for once about to be overpowered by the four wolves as they grabbed from me. I attempted to struggle myself free from their grasps, until their number grew from four to eight and later to one less dozen wolves, and they managed to get me to drop my nunchakus to the ground.

And with the greater number and combined raw power, they attempted forcefully to pin me on my knees to the ground and press my upper body forward into the bowing position, so that one of them, holding in his paws a huge ax in intention to behead me, could finish me off once and for all.

But, however, I managed to struggle myself free from some of their grasp, which was enough to me to retrieve my nunchucks, before the wolf with the ax and his execute intentions reached to me for the final blow.

With the nunchucks once again in my paws, I crossed my arms before I bounced up from the ground with the brutal force and spread my arms and nunchucks upwards, knocking four wolves off me and out, before I extended my arms to each side and started to spin both my nunchucks loose ends rapidly while barrel rolling myself around, aiming my nunchucks loose ends to the wolves heads, knocking them out and sending them unconscious to the ground around of.

Some wolves gathered together and attempted to corner me to the ledge of the cliff with the vast numbers and spears, probably with the intention to push me off the ledge of the cliff no doubt...

...which of course prompted me to do another cool way to both get out of the narrow situation and to outsmart them...

...by leaping with all my strength off the ground and fly to above of their heads!

"WA'HOOOOOOOO!" I let out from my mouth into the stormy sky, as the another bright flash of the lighting bolt behind of my back sent my shadow to fall upon the wolf pack in front - or more likely bellow - of me, as I proceed by landing on the wolves heads.

I kinda flew above of the pack of wolves heads, landing one by one onto the wolves heads before bouncing from them and landing onto the heads of the new ones to keep myself in the air - though I bet that my bounce-kick-mixture leg work, along with my weight, managed to knock them out and off their feet once I bounced from their heads.

With this way, I managed to deal off with four wolves.

And after dealing off those four wolves, I leaped towards the fifth wolf on my way and landed with both of my feet onto his head. Far more slender and lighter wolf couldn't last my entire weight no more than four-five seconds before my weight caused him to lean too sharply backwards and eventually lose his foothold and collapse over to the ground, knocked out.

Well, I needed those three-five seconds to bounce off from his head into the air, after which I leaned in my flight forwards that I was about to land onto the heads of the next two wolves. But this time I landed onto my forward extended paws above of the wolves heads, remaining in the upside down position above of the wolves heads for a second, before I gathered some strength into my arms, bent them downwards and eventually bounced off from the wolves head into the air again.

And after that, I made the couple somersaults in the air as I was about to land to the ground behind of the wolves backs... though on my landing spot was standing the small group of wolves, no more than six, who've been standing behind of the back the whole time.

And as I was about to land to my landing spot, I quickly performed the double-kick by extending my legs straight towards the wolves, landing the quick yet hard kicks onto their chests, sending the wolves to fly backwards and land roughly onto their comrades, sending all of them on their backs to the ground, knocked out.

 _Cool move_ , I thought.

And after I'd landed onto my feet to the ground, I was immediately attacked another small pack of wolves, no more than eleven, and they were joined by the remaining and still on their feet standing wolves of the pack, that had been a moment ago trying to corner me to the ledge and push me off the cliff and into the chasm.

Not including the group's wolves with the swords in their paws as they attacked, all the wolves attempted to attack me all together from every corner, as they all leaped off the ground and lunged towards me at the same time, with their paws and claws extended forward and fangs bared... and ready to kill.

Well, I got something for them... something cool and special, which they probably remember from our first encounter, if the wolves are the same who attacked to the village of Artisan Village a few years ago.

"FEET OF FURY!" I let out as I was about to perform my famous technique onto the wolves... once again.

I quickly spun myself around as I made myself to spin rapidly around on one of my leg, as I lifted my another leg up and performed the round of rapidly repeated straight kicks all around of my during of roll around, targeting my every kick to the faces and chests of the wolves that charged towards me in the round-shaped surrounding line, causing the wolves to yelp loudly in pain after each kick and send them to fly on their backs to the ground or land onto their from behind incoming comrades and sending them all down with one kick.

And after one round, with the wolves lying in the round-shaped line in my feet in the ground, I pressed with all strength my into the air lifted foot against the ground and bounced myself up into the air once again - just in time to avoid the next four wolves that were lunging in the arch through the air and attempting to dig/sink their claws and fangs into my hide. However, my timely performed bounce off from the ground and narrow avoidance of their claws and fangs left the wolves badly surprised, that they totally forgot that they were about to fly towards and collide against each other.

And with that, all four of them had knocked their heads together, knocking themselves out and causing them all to fall at the same time onto the ground.

After I'd managed to avoid them, I performed the backwards somersault in the air as I flew in arch backwards... though to the opposite direction from the ledge of the cliff... until I landed onto my feet to the middle of the cliff... and got myself surrounded by the wolves.

And within the seconds I found myself battling them again.

And during the fight, I performed the several belly gong techniques against the some wolves attacking from front and some butt slap techniques against the ones attacking from both of my flanks... of course, after I had either dodged or blocked their own attacks with my nunchucks or my arms... sending the several wolves to fly against of each others, knocking them down in the process.

I also threw my nunchucks to twirl rapidly in the air towards the wolf packs, either in the vertical or lateral positions.

Back in the Jade palace, I've trained myself by throwing these nunchucks twirling into air with the right throwing way so that after the twirling flight in the air they would come back to my paws. I used this technique to knock down the wolves even though I was standing a some distance away from them.

This technique proved to be totally awesome and quite useful, because I it managed to knock down more than less dozen wolves with one throw.

"GOLDEN LOTUS CLAP!" I let put as I turned to the engaging the pack of less than two dozen wolves, spread my paws and then slapped them together (this time, remembering to close my eyes just in time before I carried out the clap itself,) which caused to sent the golden shock wave towards the feet of the pack, knocking them out (even blinding at least half of them, I guess) and sending them to fly a some distance away from me.

In fact, I have no good memories about that technique, because it reminded me a lot how I fell to the treacherous tricks of that unspeakable fox, Junjie, but because this technique had the power to send the devastating shock waves, I decided to use it for once to wipe out some wolves out of my way.

But even though even this technique amazed some of the remaining wolves, it wasn't enough to make the remaining wolves to back off and they just kept coming.

From my eye corner while fighting, punching and kicking the wolves all around, I saw that the gorilla staring from aside the fight and growled angrily at my direction, as the big mountain of muscles witnessed that the wolves, despite their completely new-leveled, new to me strange style of martial arts, were defeated one by one by me.

And then, loudly roaring, the gorilla charged towards me.

Even though I was in the middle of nearly ten wolves, with which I had yet unfinished business while over two dozen wolves, who were still on their feet but had not yet engaged me to the fight, remained in their position with recovering Heilang and his wolves, the gorilla cared nothing about his own being mixed with me but raised his kanabo-club above of his own head in attempt to strike me with it.

I quickly dodged the weapon's strike by jumping away from the middle of the pack, and instead of me, the gorilla swung his club towards the pack and accidentally knocked all of them to aside and to the ground.

The gorilla wasn't even a bit shocked about his actions, but instead and immediately charged at me – and he was followed by all the remaining wolves - as I was jumping backwards to avoid his kanabo-strikes.

"BRANCH SLAP!" I let out as I landed behind of the nearby tree's branch and grabbed from its trunk...

...after which I bent the tree backwards into the acute angle position as the gorilla kept coming for me...

...and then I let go of the branch after the gorilla was close enough.

The branch punched my gigantic opponent with the hard and quite painful force straight to his face, causing him to release his grip from the handle of his kanabo-club, dropping it to the ground, and the gorilla was himself sent to fly on his back to the ground, roaring in pain.

And in the process, the gorilla landed onto his six wolf comrades, burying them beneath of his weight and knocking them out at the same time.

"Cool move and trick, huh?" I humorously asked from the gorilla, who was still lying on the ground.

The gorilla lied on the ground yet for a moment, until he slowly stood up on his feet, grunting in pain as he rubbed with his hand his faces and sore jaw.

I interpreted this as a sign that it was not over yet, so I took my own battle position and prepared myself for the re-match with this gorilla, even though my own strength was already in the low level...

... but I wasn't gonna give up without the fight.

Angrily growling, the gorilla eventually stood completely up and took his own battle-ready position, spreading his own hands and prepared to lunge at me.

Suddenly, the giant unexpectedly stood upright from his position with the surprised expression appearing on his faces... and yet he was looking over of Po.

Then, the sadistic grin suddenly appeared out of nowhere to his lips.

"Indeed, Panda. But let's see with what kind of "cool move and trick" you're gonna get through of this." The gorilla said with the strangely pleased tone.

And then, the giant stepped back, muttering an ominous laugh.

I took a quite confused look on my face as I watched how the giant just so simply backed off like that without the fight even.

And then...

All of the remaining wolves, including Heilang and his own pack – including majority of the wolves, whom I'd defeated and temporarily knocked out, until they regained their conscious and stood back up on their feet - turned their eyes over me, before they proceed to settle upon one of their knee and bow deeply down respectfully.

I was badly surprised and highly confused by this sudden act.

What these wolves and the gorilla were doing?

Why they do not engage but instead backed off without the fight?

Why they bow so respectful to his direction?

Well, at least I knew that they were not yet gonna leave me alone and let me to peacefully continue my home trip back to the Jade Palace, that was sure thing.

But bowing down at my direction with the respectful way was something new.

And I don't meant the way how they bowed down, even though it is not the same way how the Kung Fu warriors bow to each others or their masters.

Instead of lifting their arms up and placing one of their into the fist squeezed paw against the other paw left open and positioned into the upright position, the wolves kept their arms in their sides and remained in their own vertical positions, and they also bowed down by leaning their upper bodies slightly forwards.

And in Heilang's case, usually when I meet Heilang and his wolves, they have always reacted to my presence by attacking me in attempt to somehow and unfairly outmatch and out smart me and the Furious Five. But now they were all bowing along with Lord Shen's wolves to my direction.

And in the case of Lord Shen's wolves plus his gorilla army, they were hunting me down by their master's orders so that he could escape his foretold and long ago already realized fate in the paws of panda like me.

But I sensed something ominous, judged from the gorilla's evil-sounding laugh and that they were all staring over me before they bowed down.

I felt like...

...something or someone, probably standing in the high ranking level of their own martial arts, that was enough to be respected by these wolves, who was standing right behind of me... or more likely, above of me.

I slowly turned around to see who was standing behind of me.

After I had turned around, I saw no one standing behind of my back.

But when I dared to look to up...

It was then when I saw the reason to the wolves and Gorilla's strange action in front of me.

And, much to my horror, I spotted that on the top of flat-topped rock tower, that was standing in the next and was rising above of me and this cliff-side, was mightily and fiercely against the stormy sky standing eight mysterious-looking feline-like warriors.

SNOW-LEOPARDS!

 **To be continue...**

 **I hope you enjoyed the reading of this chapter.**


	14. 14: Mysterious Eight

******CHAPTER 14. MYSTERIOUS EIGHT  
******

 **ENJOY THE READING!**

PO'S POV

SNOW LEOPARDS!

About eight snow leopard stood on the top of the flat-topped rock tower with all mightiness against the stormy sky,

The size and the slender yet the remarkably muscular and well-built physique seemed to be at least with six leopard quite similar compared to Tai Lung's own physique, but two of them seemed to be a much more slender than the others. And yet those two leopards had a much brighter toned grayish-white - or even completely white - fur and the glowing golden eyes, while the other six had somewhat darker toned coat and blood-red eyes

Probably these two were the only female snow leopards of this mysterious group.

They were also all dressed similarly like Tai Lung, but except that they had the the dark-black pants and the blood-red sashes.

They were also wearing the large blood-red and nearly robe-like capes, which had the hoods fitted with the fabric masks to cover their faces, with the exception of the narrow space in the area of their eyes, and the skirts of their capes were freely floating in the storm wind but less than half of them seemed to be wrapped inside of their capes.

they were also wearing the some short of helmets, fitted with the wide, round and metal surfaced Japanese-hat-like headgears and the the black masks, which were shaped to resemble the vicious-looking beasts mouths with their mouths open and the lines of sharp-tipped and golden fangs bared into the fierce look, that along with their capes' hoods' masks covered their faces completely. Similarly way with me when I used to once dress up into the armor of the mysterious Midnight Stranger to hide my identity, after that sourpuss elephant Constable Hu instituted a ban on unauthorized Kung Ku.

However, these guys were far away from the heroic look than that armor had.

They were also holding the fierce-looking weapons with them on seen.

Most of their weapons of choices, with a few exceptions, were two-handled weapons with the long staves, which were made out of the bamboo tree... and their weapons blades resembled by their appearance and design the ones in the possession of Shen's wolf army with their flame- or serpentine-shapes, sharp-pointed and curved spikes and numerous sharp-pointed notches.

The first one of the leopards was holding in his left paw nearly in the vertical position next to him and from under of his cape emerging a long trident-spear (double-ended trident-spear), which all three to the tips narrowing and blood-red blades, along with their all sharp-pointed and -edged notches, resembled greatly the flames.

The second one of these leopards was carrying in his paws a twin-bladed sword, which had a two long and wide blades on each end of the weapon's two-handed handle. The leopard's weapon's blades resembled greatly Shen's wolf army's large scimitars with their long and wide blades, backwards curved sword-tips, small and sharp-pointed notches in middle of the outer blade and with three wave-like curved spikes in the blade's backside.

The third leopard of this mysterious group was holding in his paws a large double-edged axe with a long bamboo handle, and the ax-blades themselves had the line of three curved spikes in above and beneath of the blade. This leopard seemed to be also carrying on his belt two one-handled double-edged axes as a extra weapons.

The first female leopard of this mysterious group was holding in her paw a long spear, which had a long, curved and flame-shaped to the tip narrowing blade with the extremely sharp edges on both sides of the blade.

Another female leopard was holding in her paws the weapons that resembled the nunchucks, though it was soon revealed that to the loose ends of her weapons had been attached two long and two long and to the tips narrowing serpentine-shaped sword blades, giving to these new kind of weapon mixture of swords and nunchucks the name... nunchaku-swords.

Sixth member of this mysterious group, male this time, was holding thick and long-handled dual three-section staff, which loose ends were shaped to resemble the blood-red dragons heads with their fanged mouths open, just like with my staff.

Seventh leopard was holding a long chained chain-hammer, one of which seemed to be forged into the shape of the squeezed fist, which had three lines of spikes in the knuckles. And another hammer was forged into the shape of the open paw with a nasty-looking long and extremely sharp sickle-like claws.

And the last one leopard was wielding a huge Twin-Bladed Glaive, which blades, however, resembled greatly Lord Shen's symbol... the blood-red Flaming Sun... though without the blood-red beams in the symbol's right side, which made the blades to look more like flaming red fireballs.

At first, I believed that these leopards were still the ones who always were seen with and who served served Junjie in his villainous schemes against me, master Shifu and Furious Five. But if they were in fact right them, as it has been a long from the last time we've faced them, they're then clearly changed by appearance in clothing.

I even started to wonder that was Junjie behind of this recent wolf activity for all of time... and if he is, then how he has never managed to get the remains of Lord Shen's army on his side after Lord Shen's defeat.

However, when I saw a tattoo of the blood-red Flaming Sun on their chest like those wolves does, I realized that they were not Junjie's leopards.

And that Junjie was completely out of this.

The leopards were all staring down at me viciously and coldly, while I stared back at them in shock and horror as the violent, bright and for numerous times repeating lightning behind of these eight sent their threatening shadows over my standing spot.

They all seemed to be eager to fight, even though none of them didn't take any move towards me... as if they were actually waiting for something.

But they still didn't turn their vicious-looking eyes off me.

I a bit tried to retreat for the several steps backwards because, as master Shifu had told me, _it is foolish from the warrior to attack such of enemy who the warrior doesn't know nor understand_. Even though I knew well the enemy, such like Lord Shen's forces and their master himself under the symbol of the blood-red Flaming Sun.

But I was unable to retreat, because of Heilang, that gorilla and their wolf forces - yet those ones who were recovering one by one - were coming behind of me, surrounding me from behind and blocking my any attempt to retreat or escape from this part.

Some of them pointed their spears at me, threatening to poke me with their sharp tips to my butt if I even dared to retreat even near of them.

I once did so and I lightly squeaked when I felt the sharp-pointed tip's touch on my butt, to which the wolves of course giggled mockingly.

Well, I guess that now when I'm surrounded and all the possible escape ways and paths leading back to the Jade Palace are blocked from me...

...I don't have much options.

Then so be it.

I didn't care about that who these mysterious warriors are. I didn't care where they come from or who they're working for

They're standing with the symbol of the blood-red Flaming Sun, meaning that they were standing against me as one of my enemies and part of the force standing all around of me at the moment.

And I didn't care that on what level of Kung Fu or their own martial arts they were, I absolutely wasn't going down without the fight. Because I've already faced many enemies who have had more years than I have time to practice and I'm still survived from the encounters of these enemies...

...so, what would be different with these white cats?

But however, I kept my seriousness because judging from their vicious and cold look in their eyes, this situation absolutely was no trifling matter.

So, I changed my weapons from the three-section-staff into the two separated and straight parts, because I needed to use them as a swords... or more likely clubs... right now.

And after having them into my paws, I took a deep breath and summoned up yet again all of my strength I had left.

And then, I courageously jumped off the ground and into the air and flied straight towards these mysterious warriors with intention to attack them, even though masters of the panda style of Kung Fu rarely attacks first to their opponents.

SKADOOSH! I let out my mighty war cry to echo into the stormy night sky as I was about to reach to my a new enemies.

But suddenly, as I reached to their spot...

POOF!

Out of nowhere appeared unexpectedly a surge of hissing smoke, which swallowed these mysterious warriors inside of it as I landed to their spot of the rock tower. And then when the smoke faded away within the seconds after it had mysteriously appeared, the mysterious warriors had suddenly vanished from their spot in the edge of the rock tower.

"HUH?!" I said while I looked rapidly around to see where did they go.

In the another situation, I would have said " _Wow! That. Was. AWESOME!_ " But in this serious situation and in the case of the such of mysterious and seriously mean-looking warriors like these guys, I didn't.

Albeit surprised, but instead of being excited and amused about that trick, I was badly confused. That smoke appeared unnaturally out of nowhere and I didn't saw anyone of them holding the smoke bombs on their paws nor even throwing them to their feet before I reached up to them to the top of the rock tower.

That smoke thing also let out some kind of unnatural hissing sound when it appeared and swallowed the warriors inside of it.

And I suddenly heard that sound again, but this time behind of my back.

So I turned around to look back down to the cliff-side, and I noticed that the same mysterious warriors had suddenly reappeared from the smoke just there, where I was standing a moment ago and in the front of the massive wolf forces, wrapped inside of their capes and their vicious and cold-looking eyes still locket at me again.

I snorted loudly. Just like with Heilang and his own wolves, they were playing with me with such of tricks of a kind I did not have.

"Cool trick, guys. But if you want to fight, the Dragon Warrior will bring the fight to you. Just be careful what you ask for!" I shouted to these new guys as I took the battle-ready position and prepared to fight these guys.

"SO BRING IT ON!" I added.

However, the leopard warriors did not make any kind of effort to attack me. They just kept quietly standing in front of the wolf pack and kept staring coldly up to me like the Heilang, Gorilla and the rest of the wolf pack did.

Suddenly, the wolf pack, Heilang and his own pack, Gorilla and these new and mysterious leopard warriors slowly and quietly turned in a different direction from me and everyone in the pack knelt down to the deep and respectful bow... once again.

Now I was a really confused.

"Huh? What are they doing? To what they're bowing again?" I asked from myself as I just stared down at the pack, who just kept bowing down respectfully to the different direction...

...to something, or someone, who was probably even in a more higher level in their own strange martial arts than even these new mysterious snow leopards were.

Then I turned my eyes, slowly to the direction to where the pack, Gorilla and the leopards were bowing to see that what they were bowing down so respectfully.

And when I looked to the same direction they were bowing, I saw nothing else than just on another cliff-side, which was in the higher level than this cliff-side, barely growing – or then already dead - large tree trunk, that was leaning outside of the cliff-side's edge and above of the foggy chasm.

"They're bowing to the dead tree?!" I muttered, with the confused tone and confused expression on my face after I saw the tree on the direction to where they were bowing.

Suddenly...

Violently against the stormy sky striking lightning above of that tree revealed to me something more...

Something horrible...

Something unexpected...

Something unsuspected...

Something with one hundred percent impossible...

To my astonishment, I saw the dark and sinister-looking figure of the _peacock_ sitting on the tree's tip in the mighty-looking position against the violent and stormy sky, which was silhouetted by the numerous bright flashes of violently repeating lightning of this thunderstorm behind of the figure's back.

With the blood-red eyes and the ominously familiar sinister and vicious look in them...

With a long feather-like blades emerging out of his silk robe's sleeves...

And yet with to the wide spread tail with full of the same sinister and ominous symbols...

THE BLOOD-RED FLAMING SUN?!

And I know only one peacock, who really has that kind of peacock tail, the long feather-like blades, the vicious look in the eyes...

"NO! IT CAN'T BE!" I loudly whispered as I, much to my shock and horror, recognized the sinister figure of the peacock sitting on the dead tree's treetop.

The evil peacock then stretched out his left wing towards me, pointing with two of his fingers/feathers to my direction as he was looking at the mysterious leopard warriors...

...as if he were giving them a commandment without saying a word!

The wolf pack, Gorilla and the leopard warriors then stoop upright from the ground and turned to stare back at me, and then...

POOF!

The leopards were once again swallowed by the mysterious hissing smoke and vanished from their current standing spot just like they did a moment ago.

And, to my shock and horror, **I** was then surrounded by the same hissing smoke in the seconds after the smoke had faded away from the cliff-side... and the leopard warriors reappeared out of nowhere all around of me.

And before the smoke had even completely faded away, they were already on me immediately, passing me back and forth and striking me with their weapons, barely leaving me no time to even prepare to fend myself against them.

One of them nearly stabbed me to my belly with his trident's blades at the same time as the another one leopard with the three-section-staves whacked me into my faces twice with his weapon's stone-hard handles.

I got the fiery lateral kick to my faces left side from one of them, which pushed me hardly backwards and made me to turn around, after which the same leopard with the trident struck with his weapon's hard bamboo staff against my stomach, nearly pushing with the strike's raw power all breath out of me, while the female leopard with the spear jumped onto my back and stabbed me with his spear to my back.

It wasn't nice to feel the cold and sharp blade digging into my back, which got me to yelp loudly out of pain as the wave of pain took over my back and nearly forcing me to fallon my knees to the ground.

But I barely managed to keep my balance on my feet.

Then another one of this group's female leopards attacked me right after that and slashed me from behind with her nunchaku-swords blades, leaving two painful cuts to back of my left shoulders.

Then I received another fiery kick to my stomach, which a wave of pain was so hard and painfully effectful that it got me to fall in pain on my knees to the ground, until in a middle of it I received another upward hard kick directed to under of my chin. The kick forced me to back on my feets and I fell hardly backwards, until I got a new kick from behind to my back, which roughly pushed me forward.

And right after, I was quickly stabbed again with the trident's flame-like blades, which painfully caused to me the three long nasty slash to my chest.

I was then attacked by two other leopards. One of them, wielding a twin-bladed sword with two long and wide scimitar swords blades, nearly managed to split my face in half if I hadn't managed to dodge its sharp-edged curved tip in the last seconds, but the leopard angrily restarted its attack by carrying out at least a dozen rapidly repeated kicks to my face and chest, which he carried out in the five seconds, leaving me with no time to get prepared for them nor block any of them, until the leopard's final kick to my left cheek turned me roughly around and I got right after two painful hits to my left cheek and after that to under of my chin from the second one's chain hammers, though I fortunately avoided the fist-shaped one's spikes in its knuckles, but the open paw-shaped one left the nasty claw marks to my left cheek.

Then two of them together spun themselves around, lifting up their right legs, twisting their right hips, recoiling their legs and then extending them at the same time into a fiery double-kick to my face, which turned me yet again roughly around... only to be painfully slashed by the next attacking leopard's twin-bladed glaive spear from front.

Then, I got a new hard and nearly nose-breaking strike from the three-section-staff wielding leopards weapon straight to my face.

Then I got the slash to my right cheek from the spear wielding female leopard's spear's blade.

And finally, the devastating strike came from behind the next attacking leopard warrior's double-edged ax, as he struck me with his weapons ax blade to my back.

This one devastating strike got me to bellow loudly in the pain, as I fell on my knees to the ground.

SHIFU'S POV

I was silently meditating in my very own peace in the cave of Dragon Grotto...

...over of the small lake of the cave...

...on top of the great Master Oogway's beloved staff...

...in the front of the cave's statue of the Chinese dragon...

...ignoring all of that loud sounds of the heavy rain, the wind, the thunder and the rapidly repeating flashes of the lightning of that vicious storm outside of the cave.

Everything was peaceful and quiet.

Everything what I only heard, was the rain water's peaceful dripping from the cave's ceiling to the cave's small lake.

But it did not last for a long time, until suddenly I got the odd mind torturing feeling that something was somehow but seriously wrong.

Is hardened my calm expression almost into stressfully thoughtful as I tried mentally to find out that why I was feeling such of feeling.

Such of feeling I've not felt for a long time since...

PO'S POV

This fight I experienced a second ago was overly fiercest of all I've been involved in that night.

And I gotta admit it, that these guys were good... maybe too good that what I expected.

The battle lasted barely over fifteen seconds and it all happened so fast.

And I was unable to even touch them.

But now, when I was lying on the ground, seriously beaten, exhausted and heavily panting from the fight, and at the mercy of those leopards, who were approaching me from every corner.

I was sure that they were gonna finish me off right now.

But just when defeat and the death looks certain for me, the leopard warriors strangely lowered their weapons and stopped the fighting, remaining in the arm's length distance away from me and leaving me panting on the ground.

I don't know why they did so, but they clearly didn't do it because of feeling sorry for at their mercy lying warrior and obviously even less out of mercy...

...even though they showed a little bit mercy to me for not killing me yet but leaving me to lie on the ground, severely beaten and nearly defeated.

However, despite my serious injuries and in every second slowly draining strength, I was far away from being done yet.

So I gathered another boost of energy from all what's left from my strength and as quick as I was able, I leaped into my counter-attack against these leopards.

These leopards were less to no surprised of this sudden act of mine and they quickly answered to my counter-attack with their own but doubled counter-attacks from every corner of me. They started once again pass me back and forth and attack me from every angle one by one or two-four of them together.

This time, I was more on my guard for any attack and strike which was coming towards me from eight repeatedly and rapidly changing direction.

But even though I was able to block with my sword/club-like parts of my bo-staff some of my enemies physical attacks and some of their lethal strikes of their weapons, they were still quicker and much eager than my already battered and exhausted self and they often jumped like antelopes all around of me. And they used the teamwork technique by distracting me from my front and from the flanks, the others attacked me from the other flank and behind of my back while my attention and focus was in the others.

But despite that, I still got the another hit from the ax to my back, again.

And I was once again stabbed with the spear to behind of my right shoulder.

One of them, twirling a huge Twin-Bladed Glaive in his paws, was about to split my head in two while my attention was elsewhere. But I luckily managed to dodge the huge blade roughly and heavily landed to the ground in the spot in where I was a moment ago standing.

Then, the female ones attacked together against me, both of them rapidly twirling their weapons before they aimed their blades towards me.

Fighting them at the same time was even more harder than fighting against the male ones, because the female leopard wielding the nunchaku-like swords wielded her weapons more skillfully and even faster that her lethal attacks were difficult, nearly impossible to dodge without being scratched badly by the swords sharp tips, which already scratched several scratches to my right leg, side, shoulder and my head, And the spear wielding female leopard attacked with her spear, whacking with its long blade and it's strong bamboo handle against my own bamboo swords/clubs between of two three seconds, leaving me no time to carry out any counter-attack against the female.

And then, the trident wielding leopard was charging at me from the air, his trident in the fatal stabbing-position and targeted to my back.

I barely managed to get myself rid of the female leopards, so that I was able to turn around to face the leopard and lift up my sword-like bamboo staff to block the leopard's strike before it managed to touch my skin.

Then I got attacked from three corner at the same time.

The leopards wielding nunchaku-swords, the spear and twin-bladed sword attacked me together twirling their weapons fiercely and rapidly.

While spear and twin-blade sword wielding ones distracted me by attacking to me from two sides and slashing their weapons against mine, nunchaku-sword wielding female leopard leaped into the air, she began make a rapid somersaults in the air, and yet she even began to swirl her deadly nunchaku-swords around herself like the everything-slashing ring around of her as she was charging to me from the air.

After I had blocked a first two leopards weapons with my staff's sword-like parts, I pushed the attacked back off and turned to the next attacking female leopard, who was about to land to the ground with her everything-slashing sword ring.

I managed barely to dodge the first blade before it managed to slice me in half and I blocked the another one's strike by lifting up and placing my staff parts into X-position, between of which the blade then landed and stopped.

The leopards seemed to have enough of playing with me and they doubled their speed and quick attacks, inflicting more and more physical damage.

Then, suddenly, the chain hammer wielding leopard guy attacked me from behind, trying to hit me with his stone-hard chain hammers first to my head and then aimed me to my stomach. I barely managed to dodge the fist-shaped one's spiked knuckles strike against my faces, but the open-paw shaped hammer managed to slash the another nasty claw marks onto my chest, making me to yell out of pain yet again.

But after that, then I realized that the chain hammer leopard's attempt to strike me with the chain hammers had caught my focus away from the nunchaku-swords wielding female one. The leopard, rapidly twirling her weapons' bladed loose ends towards me, tried to hit me with them fourteen times to my legs, stomach, throat and head to cause some lethal wounds on me. Except of a several long and somewhat deep bleeding scratches I got from the strikes to my upper body, I mostly managed to dodge them all but just barely.

Then I witnessed something very amazing thing, maybe for me but not to them, that the three-section-staves wielding leopard suddenly swung his weapons like a whip towards me, until I saw a itty-bitty spark coming out from the weapons loose ends' dragon head, until the spark turned into the fire-storm, which was storming towards me.

I don't know how that leopard guy managed to do that, but being burned alive by the fire-breath coming out by the three-section-staves loose ends' dragon heads was something what I do not want to know... and less experience. So I quickly snapped out of my stunned state and jumped out of the way of fire.

And then, some of the leopards threw towards me something from under of his cape, which seemed to be some round weapons that resembled somewhat the shurikens, the extremely and fatally sharp throwing stars, which were apparently made off from the four of Lord Shen's own double-ended and double-edged feather-blades attached into each others from the middle of the blades, and each one of them were by their length as long as the Shen's regular feather-blades.

That reminded me about the moment when Lord Shen used his feather-shaped silver-colored blades against me by throwing them to fly straight towards me back in our last battle back in the harbor of Gongmen City.

As the shurikens were threw towards me in the lateral position to cause very bad and probably even a lethal damage, I did my best to dodge them, although dodging the throwing things wasn't my best abilities, which I have gotten to experience in the training hours back in the Jade Palace and in the past duels against Lord Shen and Kai the Collector, who had used throwing feather-blades and chain jade swords, only by the mere luck I have managed to survive from their throwing deadly weapons.

But I soon found out that dodging these weapons was much more difficult than what I expected... as they were threw towards me in the formation, that left a narrow space between of them... too narrow for me to dodge the throwing stars.

These throwing stars painfully scratched me numerous wounds to my arms, to my shoulders, to my sides, to everywhere leaving more and more painful wounds and I was unable to stop them in any way.

Then, I was savagely attacked by the twin-blade sword wielding leopard, whose quick and nearly unstoppable attacks with her weapon left me no time to take counter-attack to him, forcing me to my defensive stance as I tried to block the attacks with the parts of my staff.

Suddenly, I felt the pain on my right side and I yelled in pain.

And as I looked to my right side, I saw that next of me was standing the spear, standing on the ground at a right angle. Its owner had probably threw it towards me and it had badly injured my right side.

And before I managed to move, the twin-bladed Glaive wielding leopard attacked me from behind and roughly struck me to my back with his weapons wooden handle, leaving a bad lateral slash from the round blade and four vertical slashes from the blades beam-shaped curved blades onto my back, which pushed me roughly forward that I barely managed to keep my balance and remain on my feet.

Then, the trident-wielding guy attacked behind of my and unexpectedly slashed me to my chest with his trident's blades, leaving six long slashes to my chest along with the chain hammer leopard's hammer's claw marks, which caused me to yelp out of even more pain.

The the chain hammer wielding guy attacked me, controlling his chain hammers that they under control of his paws punched and scratched fiercely and mercilessly to my face, to my both cheeks, under of my chin and to my stomach, leaving my face completely bruised and preventing me to take counter-attack.

And then, the same guy make his hammers to strike me with the doubled force, which struck me heavily to my stomach - sinking the one hammer's knuckles spikes and the another one's claws onto my stomach in the process - that it nearly burst the all breath out of me and I was about to fall heavily and rapidly panting on my knees to the ground, but before I fell again to the ground, the guy swung his hammers again, targeting them to my lowered face and the hammers double-punched me, punching one of my teeth out of my mouth in the process and leaving my faces badly scratched.

My own strength was heavily draining up due to my desperate fighting, my own exhaustion and all the bruises and bleeding wound all around of me, as as I desperately looked for even a small possibility of escape from here while desperately trying to keep these leopard away from me as they running around of me and jumping in the air surrounded me from every corner, blocking all my even the smallest chances to escape.

And I was even more mauled with their weapons.

"FIGHT FAIRLY!" I desperately cried to these warriors, but my pleads fell to the deaf ears.

The trident-wielding guy slashed to my right and already damaged side with his trident's longest blades, leaving two bad wounds to backside of my right side.

And then, I got the bad hit from the ax to my face. But luckily to me, the strike came from the axe's flat edge, not from the sharp edge, which would have easily slip my head off from the rest of my head.

But the hit was still painful and got me to lean too sharply to backwards.

Then the three-section-staves wielding leopard attacked me from above, though he merely gave me the straight kick to right side of my faces, before he landed in front of me and began mercilessly beat my faces with the three-section-staves by spinning their loose ends rapidly in front of me and aiming them on my faces, giving ten stone-hard strikes within two-three seconds... before the leopard eventually spun himself around and lifted his right leg into the high lateral kick to my faces, which that got me to turn around to meet my next attackers.

And then, I was attacked by the twin-bladed sword wielding leopard, who passed me from my right, but not before slashing for times with his weapons blades sharp edged and round tips to the right side of my upper body, leaving the four bad and deep superficial slashes onto it. But after passing me, he even finished off his work by stabbing with one of the blades of his weapon to my back behind of my right shoulder.

And after him, the nunchaku-swords wielding female leopard attacked me next and unleashed her attack on me even more faster more savagely than the twin-bladed sword wielding leopard did by mutilating my upper body savagely with her rapidly twirling weapons blades, leaving numerous deep and bleeding lateral and vertical slashes onto my stomach and chest... until the leopard bounced up into the air, performing the kneel-kick to beneath of my chin before she swung her nunchaku-swords over herself like the whips, before pulling them back towards me and sunk the tips of her blades beneath of my left shoulder and to my chest... leaving two more deep and even more painful stabbing wounds.

And then, another female leopard attacked me soon after. Despite my numerous severe bruises, wounds, slashes and stabbing wounds, I tried quickly take counter-attack to her, but the leopard woman was too quick and slashed me with her spear's blade to my upper chest.

The feel of the cold spear's tip cutting my flesh and the following pain wave made me to fall back, but before I managed to do anything more, the trident-wielding leopard along with twin-bladed sword wielding leopard attacked together from behind and slashed me to my faces with their weapons blades.

I attempted for the last time to lift my staff's parts in X-position in front of my faces to protect them from the finishing strike, but it was too late.

The combined strike left three-four painfully burning wounds to my face...

...and the combined strike was hard enough to brutally snap the straight parts of my staff in half and knock them off my paws, sending them to fly over the tower's edge and fall into the foggy chasm...

...and that brutal strike even knocked me off from the top of the rock tower and that I was freely falling down.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!" I cried into the stormy sky, as the violent lighting filled the entire stormy sky as the sign of my VERY FIRST major defeat in the paws of the servants of the symbol of blood-red Flaming Sun.

SHIFU'S POV

I suddenly opened my eyes and gasped in shock.

Something very terrible had happened out there.

I felt it like I was myself out there and being forced to witness this horrible feeling's source in the front of my very own eyes.

Such of feeling released the torturing cold waves of shivers to run through of my body.

I was heavily shocked after what I mentally sensed, that I went paralysed by the shock and I nearly collapsed off from the top of master Oogway's staff.

I landed on my knees to the small hillock of the cave's small lake.

After my mind and body tortured waves of shivers had faded away, I took Oogway's staff and taking the support from it, I slowly got up on my feet and waalked to the top of the hillock.

I watched outside of the cave, and saw that the lightning in the dark and stormy sky had became even more violent and even more ominous, and yet it was even more fiercer and massed above of the mountains outside of the borders of the Valley of Peace.

I looked towards the direction of the mountains with the mentally shocked expression and from the shock watery eyes on my eyes.

I also felt something more...

My inner peace had once again broken.

I've not for a long time felt it to be broken again since...

...since what I mentally saw/sensed nearly happening to Po when he was out in the other side of the China accomplishing a life-important task with the Furious Five several years ago.

And that painful feeling told me that something very terrible had happened to Po recently.

It told me that the DRAGON WARRIOR has FALLEN in the dishonorable battle.

Even though I don't know what had exactly happened to Po, I had to informed to Furious Five and send them to go after Po and bring him back... if he is still alive out there, wherever he was at the moment.

 **To be continue...**

 **I hope you enjoyed the reading of this chapter.**

 **Yeah, I added a little blood and a bit violent parts to this chapter, but it was eventually supposed to arrive even as a part of this story.**


	15. 15: Preparing to go after Po

**CHAPTER 15: PREPARING TO GO AFTER PO  
**

 **ENJOY THE READING!**

TIGRESS POV

We were all waiting in the Training Room.

The day had already turned to night, the night had passed and now the day was turning to midnight, and Po still wasn't back home.

Although the thunderstorm became even more violent and ominous outside, we didn't care about it.

All what we cared about right now was Po and all what we hoped about right now very much that he would already be home soon.

But the hours passed away one by one.

And Po still wasn't back.

Po's fathers were walking in a circle with each others in the left corner of the Training Hall, with their paws pulled behind of their backs and the deeply concerned expression on their lowered faces.

"Anything yet?" Both Mr. Ping and Li Shan asked in the unison from all of us, briefly breaking the silence that lied upon the room.

They had began to ask for that one and same question every half-hour from all of us standing in front or next of the doors of the Training Hall, demanding with the great concern to know if Po is back or not yet. But always, after every question, every answer they received from us was a negative, to which the goose father and the panda father reacted by keeping to walk in the circle in the dark corner.

I was leaning against one of the training room's pillar with my arms crossed.

Viper was also slithering the circle in the ground, letting out the quiet but concerned toned hisses out of her mouth.

All what Crane was just standing still but with the look of mixed boredom and worry in his face and Mantis was rubbing his head while he too was walking a circle on Crane's hat.

Mei Mei and Grandma Panda were holding a little Pao and Lei Lei in their arms, and they seemed to be as concerned for Po, as well as all of us.

Huger Panda was leaning against the another pillar of the training hall, and he had also the look of mixed boredom and worry in his face.

Monkey, Dim and Sum, who were not even for once in a very joyful and humorous mood like usually, were standing next of the Training Hall's door, which was slightly open enough that Po's cousins and Monkey to look outside, where the violent thunderstorm was raging, probably in the hope that they'll see Po running inside of the Training Yard and rushing inside of the Training Hall.

But after waiting for ours, the pandas and Monkey eventually closed the door and leaned against of it.

There was for hours lasting deep silence upon of us and the Training Hall... until it was broken by the expected arrival of the Jade Palace's messenger goose Zeng, whom we had sent to check if Po had arrived to Mr. Ping's noodle shop for the shelter from the rain.

And after some time, the soaking wet and heavily panting goose flied inside of the Training Hall and landed next to us.

We all turned with hope to the goose, waiting for the positive answers, as Zeng opened his mouth to speak.

"I'm... I'm sorry, ma-masters and pa-pandas, but I... I didn't... didn't found him from... fro-from Mr. Ping's noodle... shop. I... checked... checked from every... every ro-room but... but he... but he wa-wasn't there. I'm... I'm sorry." The wet and cold goose informed with the apologizing tone to us to us while panting heavily, due to exhaustion after flying down from the mountain to the village and back to the top of the mountain in the pouring rain.

I let out the briefly lasting growl out of frustration.

What was taking so long from Po to get here?!

The silence landed upon of the training hall yet again, until Monkey finally had enough of the silence and opened his mouth to speak.

"Guys, I do not know about you, but I'm really starting to get worried. Po should have been back by now." Monkey said with the clear concern in his voice.

"I know that this is the first time when this happens in Po's case, but I think that Monkey is more than just right. It's been already seventeen hours from his depart before today's morning sound of gong and he's still not back." Crane said as he joined to the object of speaking.

"Does our cousin stay out such a long time usually?" Dim suddenly asked from us.

"Not usually this long. It's not like Po to be out there all day, especially under of this dreadful thunderstorm." Viper said, with the deeply concerned tone and look on her face.

"I agree with Viper. Normally, he would've be back, as he always does, at the meal times. Except if he is out there in the woods doing something important task – which sometimes can lasts over the meal times – or fighting against some bandits, which as well can sometimes lasts over the meal times. But usually he doesn't stay out this long... at least not the entire day." Crane said.

"I... kind of... agree with you guys. Even I do not believe that this is just about the usual delay anymore." Mantis said the next from the top of Crane's hat.

I already knew that myself.

"Then we shouldn't just sit on our butts but we need to do something! How long do we have to pointlessly wait for his return even though we do not know is he even okay?!" Mr. Ping started to shout as he suddenly stopped from circling around in the dark corner and joined to our object of speaking, after having lost his already to the critical level reached impatience.

"Mr. Ping is right! How hard it can be to go out of the door, walk down the stairs to the base of the mountain and head straight to the bamboo woods to search for him, without caring about the possible consequences nor punishments to which master Shifu might put us on for disobedience for the right reasons, not caring about this violent and ominous thunderstorm outside and not caring about those wolves stalking out there but just simply go out there and find him before it's too late to find him?" Li Shan said after Mr. Ping had finished with what he had to say.

"And I'll say that I'm done with this useless waiting and doing nothing while my son is out there and possibly even in grave danger. So, I'll say that either we all or I, all alone, go out there with no caring about the consequences of my actions, with no caring about this storm nor those packs of savage wolves out there. I'm going out and find my son, with or without help of anybody. I'm going and nobody can stop me of doing this." Li Shan added with the strong-minded tone of voice, as he headed from the dark corner straight towards the door of the Training Hall.

"I'm agree with you, Mr. Shan. But you're not going anywhere... not at least without me." Mr. Ping said and walked after him towards the door.

I looked at both of Po's fathers with my eyes widened out of surprise about the fact that how seriously they had been about their decision.

But I had to admit that I was impressed about Li Shan's and Mr. Ping's serious decisions to go out there to look for Po with no caring about Master Shifu's orders.

Besides, both Li Shan got even more than just point about his suggestion of doing something and not just sitting in here doing nothing. And let us say... Po has been gone nearly the entire day and since when he has still not returned, it meant only that that something might have happened to him. Something very bad which had caused me to get deeply concerned for him, what I did not, of course, told nor openly showed to the others in order to maintain my pride.

And I'll say that we've been waiting for Po's return far too long and no matter what master Shifu had told us to do anymore. We indeed needed to do something as Po was still somewhere out there and most certainly in some kind of trouble.

So I jumped on my feet and turned to Po's fathers as a intention to tell them that I was coming with them to look for Po...

...until we all suddenly heard towards us heading steps coming from right behind of us.

The steps soon ended to the sound, which sounded like someone was clearing his throat to speak.

"Eh-em."

We all turned around out of the instincts to the direction of the voice, only to see master Shifu himself standing right behind of us, having once again appeared suddenly out of nowhere... which was his meditation time in the cavern of the Dragon Grotto as usually, even during of such of weather like this out there.

However, instead of the usual stern look in his face, I saw that there was a highly concerned and even a guilty-feeling look on his face and his gaze was on the ground, which only added my own concerns for Po.

Li Shan, and Mr. Ping right behind of his tail, reacted to master Shifu's sudden appearance by turning away from the doors of the Training Hall and took a several heavy and apparently hastily made steps towards him, probably in intention to scold master Shifu for keeping us in here from doing something for Po and probably to demand him to send even somebody of us to out there to search for Po Or else he would go alone with no caring about the consequences, and would not allow anyone to stop him from going.

"Master Shifu, I want to make a big complaint about the instructions you have provided about Po's absence." Li Shan was about to say angrily – not noticing or even ignoring master Shifu's concerned look in his face.

So, I reacted to this by stopping Li Shan from nearly "lunging" towards my master and father-figure by lifting up my left paw on his way and pressing my arm against his chest to push him backwards.

"Calm yourself and back off, Li Shan!" I warned him with the stern voice, as I hardened my expression and kept staring at him fiercely, even allowing a small growl escape from my mouth and slightly baring my teeth.

I was kinda expecting Li Shan to somehow resist my no-violent attempt to stop him from advancing my master and father-figure, because he was Po's panda father and that Po has already for a several times attempted to resist my attempts to prevent him from doing something foolish and unthinking, which are the moments that prompts two of us always to engage each others into the exercise duel.

And this time, due to Li Shan's apparently nearly overgrown frustration and impatience, I expected Li Shan to be about to push me out of his way, thought the normal pushing move wasn't enough to move me aside or knock me over to the ground so easily.

However, I noticed that we two were gonna go through of this far too easily, as my hardened stern look, fierce stare and light growl were together enough to make Po's panda father slowly, humbly and submissively, along with a bit fearful respect, though he impressively managed to hide it from the outside, though I sensed it from the look in his eyes, backed off for the few steps.

And after I had managed to make Li Shan to back off and after making sure that he wasn't gonna try anything rash and foolish towards my master and father-figure, I softened my expression on my face and turned back to master Shifu, who was like nothing had just happened around of him.

"Master Shifu, what is it? Is everything alright?" I asked with the soft and concerned voice, even though I already knew that everything wasn't alright.

Shifu just stood in the place in silence and his head lowered that his eyes were looking to the ground.

He let out a deep but sorrowful-sounding sight, before he went yet again but briefly to silent.

And then, he raised his head and looked at all of us for a while before he opened his mouth to speak.

"I've just realized, that I've done a terrible mistake, again. As terrible like the one I did a long time ago with Tai Lung, but maybe even more worst this time." Master Shifu said to all of us with the sad, self-berating and deep regret-sounding voice.

After he had said that, I got a dreadful feeling in both my mind and heart, which was encouraged by the knowledge about my master's ability to feel telepathically through of the mental link of the spiritual meditation someone's physical pain, as he had told me during of our home journey from Gongmen City after our war with Lord Shen had ended.

"Master, what are you talking about? What kind of mistake?" I heard Viper asking from him with the concern in her voice.

"Is it about Po?" I asked next after Viper, though I silently and desperately pleaded that the reason to my master and father-figure's concern-looking attitude wasn't Po...

...even though I already guessed that it was definitely about Po.

During of our home journey back to the Valley of Peace, master Shifu had told me that that stormy night when we attacked to Shen's Fireworks Factory to sabotage his work with those superior weapons, he had felt Po's condition to reaching nearly to the fatal level after getting the straight hit from one of that accursed peacock's weapons, which had prompted him to travel all way from the Valley of Peace to the Gongmen City, appearing out of nowhere to reinforce us with the help of Masters Croc and Ox during the battle against Shen at the Gongman City's river and harbor.

After hearing my desperate plead, master Shifu opened his mouth again to speak.

I'm sorry, Tigress. But I'm afraid that it is Po." Master Shifu started with apologetic voice.

"What?" I whispered with the great concern, and a bit confused of what Shifu was talking about.

"What do you mean this is about Po, master Shifu? Is my son alright? What is happening anyway?!" I heard Li Shan demanding the answers from Shifu with the concerned tone and nearly in the panicking state, though I was able to sense that Li Shan managed barely to keep himself under control.

However, unlike Li Shan, Mr. Ping was far from being able to keep himself cool and his own panicking concerns under control.

"You gotta tell us! What's going on here?! Is Po alright?!" He quacked hastily.

Master Shifu lowered his head a bit down and let out another sorrowful sight, before he lifted his eyes up once again and opened his mouth to explain to us.

"While I was meditating in the Dragon Grotto a moment ago, I sensed something very bad and devastating to happen, what I haven't sensed during of my meditation hours since your trip and our war with Lord Shen back in the Gongmen City. Something that proves that Crane, Viper and Mantis are right with their opinions... and even more than just right. This is not about the usual delay anymore." Shifu explained.

I skipped another heartbeat, and my dreadful feelings got even more worse after Shifu mentioned having sensed something really bad, in which Po was unfortunately related.

"After Tai Lung's defeat at the paws of Po, and after he brought the peace back to the Valley and to me as the great master Oogway had foretold to me, I made a promise to myself not to be blindly too proud of only one of you ever again, because I didn't want the history of Tai Lung to repeat itself upon the Valley of Peace, even though I did and do know that Po never possessed such of desire to the power like Tai Lung did."

"Well, I just now realized that even without any intent of my, I let my pride to get best of me once again as I trusted too proudly and blindly to the fact that Po would be all right out there during of his investigation and would be back safely and at the appointed time as we agreed in the morning, that I foolishly and out of my blind and prideful confidence focused more our normal routines of the day and ignored any fact that something is really wrong. That Po might be in big trouble out there, and yet I held all of you back here, firmly preventing everyone of you from going out there, into the storm and into the wolves swarming bamboo woods to search for him, not only because of preventing anymore pandas and the warriors to be lost in this storm, but also because I wanted to trust to the fact that Po is able to take care of himself and that he would come back at the appointed time. Just now I sense that he might be in the trouble out there." Master Shifu confessed with the regret.

Shifu went then silent for a while, before he continued.

Master Shifu then turned to Li Shan and Mr. Ping.

"Master Shan and Master Ping, all of you, I apologize that I've been blind old fool to see the things how they are right now. Now I see that we definitely have to do something to this matter." Master Shifu said with the apologizing tone.

As I turned to Po's fathers, I saw both Mr. Ping and Li Shan being deeply relieved about this that we were finally gonna do something to Po's strangely long lasted absence... and so were Monkey, Crane, Viper and Mantis... and especially me.

And then, without expecting any kind of respond from Po's father's nor anyone of us, master Shifu turned to me with his usual stern expression on his voice.

"Tigress!" Shifu called me.

I immediately took the disciplined and straight position in front of my master and bowed him respectfully.

"Yes, Master?" I asked.

I felt myself slightly tensed and my muscles slightly shook, as I already sensed that what master Shifu was going to say after he had admitted his own mistakes many times earlier on today...

"Tigress, take Crane with you and go. Find him wherever he is and bring him back. And don't come back without him." Master Shifu ordered."

My eyes widened after hearing this and the smile appeared on my face as I mentally sighed in deep relief as I finally got his permission to leave to look for Po in the bamboo woods... something what I've been waiting for since the midday when Po was supposed to be back.

However, even though one half of me urged me to jump in joy after receiving Shifu's permission, I kept myself under of control and maintained my disciplined position in front of my master as I bowed down to my master respectfully.

"As you wish, master. I and Crane will not fail you." I said with the respectful and gentle tone, as I sensed master Shifu walking right before me and gently and comfortingly landed his hand on behind of my right ear.

"I trust you that you will not. Just be careful out there and do not engage with those wolves." Master Shifu said gently, before he removed his hand from behind of my ears and turned to the rest of the Five, panda students and Po's fathers.

I turned to them as well, and I saw that Monkey, Viper and Mantis, including yet mostly Mr. Ping and Li Shan, were all dumbfounded that they've been dismissed while Shifu had tasked only me and Crane to go out there to search for Po.

"But master?! What about the rest of us?!" Mantis asked, annoyed that the rest of the Five had been dismissed from the search party by Shifu.

"Yes! What about the rest of us? Why just two of us instead of all of us?" Mr. Ping complained with the disappointed and impatient voice, because despite him being not the Kung Fu warrior, he was still determined to go out there to search for Po from the bamboo woods, even ignoring the ominous thunderstorm and all the dangers out there.

"Yeah! Shouldn't we all go to search for Po, master?" Monkey asked right after Mr. Ping.

"I'm agree with Monkey and Mr. Ping, master Shifu. With the great numbers and being scattered across a wide area the search for my son would be much more easier and quicker?" Li Shan said, attempting to reason with Shifu.

However, master Shifu immediately dismissed their complaints.

"NO! Only Tigress and Crane can go. The rest of us stays right here. I don't want anymore pandas... or anyone else, who either does or doesn't know these woods... to get lost into the bamboo woods or getting into the far more worse trouble." Shifu informed, much to Li Shan's and Mr. Ping's dismay and deep disappointment...

...especially now after they had waited/wanted throughout the whole day master Shifu's full and official permission to go out there to look for Po and bring him back home, only to be instead held back in the Jade Palace like the school boys inside of the fenced area of the school yard and under the guard of other half of the Furious Five while me and Crane were given the full permission by Shifu to go out look for Po.

I knew exactly the reason that why Shifu chose only me and Crane to go out there look for Po... my role in the whole thing, in addition of part of the search party, was the reinforcement for Po: 'cause together me and Po are usually unbeatable in the combat against the overwhelming odds. Crane's role in the searching party was my eyes in the sky to look for any sight of Po in the bamboo woods. And Crane was also supposed to be our air support if needed.

Then I turned from Shifu to Crane.

"Come Crane, let's get ready to go out there." I said to Crane, who gave me the nod as an agreement.

And, Because we knew that the bamboo forest might be swarming by the overwhelming army of the savage wolves under of Lord Shen's blood-red Flaming Sun's symbol and because we had the very bad and hostile history with them back in the Gongmen City while trying to prevent them and their cruel and evil peacock master from conquering the China with his weapons of mass destruction, We had to move quickly, quietly and out of sight in the bamboo woods among of the wolves.

And that's why we had to take an advantage from the mixed darkness of the darkness of the near midnight and the darkness which this hideous thunderstorm had brought upon the valley of the Peace today and tonight.

It's not difficult for Crane to stay out of the sight of those wolves, 'cause he's capable to fly in both above and in the level of the bamboo tree's tips... and that the darkness of the both midnight and the thunderstorm would cover his presence from the wolves... as long as he bewares of being struck by the lightning bolts.

But in case of me, I couldn't go out there dressed in my beautiful golden hanfu with red vine patterns, 'cause despite the darkness of the thunderstorm and the midnight, the wolves could easily spot me from my golden shiny hanfu in the flash of the lighting. So I needed to retrieve my into the darkness blending poncho in order to camouflage to the darkness in the bamboo woods while searching for Po. And lucky that I had one nearby, which I had took from my room to cover myself from the rain when I returned from the barracks to the Training Room, and which I had put to hang from one of the pillars.

I had also took my Chinese hat, behind of which was hanging five cape-like and from the edge of my hat to down widening, long, lightweight and golden silk ribbons with the red vine patterns just like in my golden hanfu. Po had once kindly given me a birthday present, even though I don't know hod did Po even know that when was my birthday. He even gave it to me with the flattering comment that I may look cooler and even tougher than ever wearing such of hat with my golden hanfu... and maybe even more beautiful, so he said.

I have to admit that, even for once, Po made me blush with such of comment, although normally I would have punched him in the middle of his face for embarrassing me in front of my master and the rest of the Five.

But before I retrieved my poncho and my hat, I headed with Crane to one of the Training Hall's weapon stands, from which I picked as my weapon of choice the pair of katanas in two sheaths crossing with each others in the X-position, which I attached with the sheaths belts into my back.

Crane also picked from the weapon stand his own weapon of choice.

Imitating Lord Shen's feather blades, Crane has created for himself the tessen-like his wing length lines of extremely sharp feather-blades, which served as his weapon of choice. Unlike me and Monkey, Crane was not wearing anything black, but because when he was only one of us fledged, he thought it best to follow us from the air and report us from the approaching wolf pack or from the any sight of Po. The darkness of the stormy night sky would hide his white-feathered form from the wolves eyes.

Monkey even tried jokingly to suggest Crane to bath in the black paint to "dress" himself into something black, but Crane didn't agree to it, commenting that the black paint will only give to him unnecessary extra weight and slow down his attacks... as well as his tessen-like wing blades already did, with which he had to get used to in flying and fighting.

And once I and Crane were both prepared and armed and ready to go, Shifu began to escort us towards the doors of the Training Hall.

And once we reached to the top of the wooden chairs and stood nearly right next to the doors of the Training Hall, master Shifu started to give us the exactly same advises which he had gave to Po before he left from the palace on his investigation, as both me and Crane lined up in front of him, as we always do before we're sent out for the very important mission by him.

"Remember, your mission is only, AND ONLY, find Po and bring him back to the Jade Palace. Do not engage with those wolf packs waiting for you out there until it is completely necessary. Scout the mountains outside of the Valley of Peace, the bamboo forests, open fields and then from the village, and don't come back before Po is found. Do you understand?" Shifu asked while finishing what he had to say to us.

We both gave to our master and my beloved father figure the positive node out of understatement.

Both me and Crane then lined up in front of him, and proceed by bowing down to Shifu

"We understand, master. Don't worry. We won't fail you. I promise, master." I answered, as I pulled my paws in front of my, placed my into the fist squeezed right paw against my left paw left to open and bowed down with the respect for my master and father-figure. And Crane followed my example with his own wings, while watching not to hurt himself with his blades while bowing respectfully to master Shifu.

And as I got back to upright, I was greeted by master Shifu's fatherly proud smile: an sight of that he was both satisfied from my answer and showing to be very proud of me once again.

"We'll start looking for him from the bamboo woods at first, because just out there recently happening and for now non-hostile wolf activity is the main reason why Po left earlier this morning." I said, declaring the bamboo woods to be our very first target.

I was sure that Po had either accidentally lost too far from the area he knew very well without the anyone to guide him out there, or then he was forced or intentionally directed to get lost to the bamboo wood areas, which were completely strange to him, by those blasted wolves.

Shifu nodded in agreement.

"So be it. Just be careful... and good luck for you two." Master Shifu wished for us, before he turned around and started to walk away... probably to return back to the Dragon Grotto to meditate.

And after that, I turned from departing Shifu to the pandas, who had gathered behind of me and Crane along with the rest of the Furious Five to witness from aside of this ceremonial departing of me and Crane, with the respecting expressions on their faces.

However, both Po's fathers, who were standing in the corner of the Training Hall with the disappointed looking looks on their faces, were still quite upset and disappointed for being halted back in the Training Hall by master Shifu and not being allowed to leave from the Jade Palace to go with us to find po from the bamboo forests.

Well, it was pointless for them to be upset, because if I were Shifu, me neither would not let them go, because there was already one panda lost in the woods and probably in the big trouble.

And there was no point in jeopardizing more pandas to danger.

So there was nothing what they could do against the will of the Grant-master of the Jade Palace, only obey him.

I, of course, felt a bit Sorry for both of them, but there was nothing in the would which But there was nothing in the world that would get me to disobey my master and my father figure's wills and orders... nothing, except if I accidentally mess things up that usually happen when I spend time with Po.

"Do not worry. We'll find Po... and we'll bring him back safe and sound." I said to all the rest of the Five, to the pandas and to Po's fathers, as I dressed into my black dark-brown poncho and placed my hat onto my head.

And after that, me and Crane turned towards the door to leave to look for and bring Po back.

 **TO BE CONTINUED.**

 **I hope you enjoyed the reading of this chapter.**


	16. 16: He's Back!

**CHAPTER 16: HE'S BACK!  
**

 **ENJOY THE READING!**

TIGRESS' POV

Just when I was about to open the doors of the Training Hall, until...

"Stripey baby! Stripey baby. Wait, stripey baby!"

The interference to their leaving came in the form of Lei Lei, who rushed out of the Grandma Panda's arms towards me, her arms spread into the wide in hugging means.

I couldn't resits the little adorable Panda, not even tell her to go back to the other pandas, but instead I took the motherly smile on my lips and turned from the door to the little panda and opened my arms for her.

The little panda immediately jumped into my arms and I wrapped my arms around of Panda's fluffy body into hug.

Because little Lei Lei treated me like her own mother, I knew that this was going to be – once again - hard for this little sweetheart, more than just hard, that I had to leave her into the care of the other pandas when I was sent out on a mission by master Shifu.

Though Lei Lei enjoyed the company of Grandma Panda and the other pandas, she enjoyed more my motherly company, and she was always concerned, even apprehensive, when I wasn't around.

"Does Stripey Baby have to go? Why Stripey Baby have to go?" Lei Lei asked, as she broke the hug with me but I still carried her in my arms.

I sighed due to being aware that how this was going to go.

The last time when I said to Lei Lei that I was about to be gone for the several days or nearly over the week, I barely got Lei Lei off me. I did not dare to rip her off me by force and her sweetness forbade me from raising my voice to her. Of course I do not see her as spoiled brat - What would have been from me badly said and even thought about this such of sweet little panda - but I had also another duties to deal with than just act Lei Lei's mother figure.

"Yes, sweetheart, Stripey Baby have to go again. Stripey Baby has the mission to handle." I said with an apologetic tone.

As I was expecting, Lei Lei immediately grabbed from my outfit with her tiny panda paws.

"Don't go, Stripey Baby. Don't go," Little panda pleaded with her sweet eye-look and pleading tone of voice.

"I have to, sweetheart. There's one panda in the trouble and Stripey Baby have to go out there to find him and bring him back," I said.

Lei Lei seemed to understand what I meant but she still wasn't willing to let go of my outfit.

"Will Stripey Baby come back soon?"

I smiled at this. She asked that very same question all of time when I was going out with Po or the rest of the Furious Five.

It didn't bothered me... at least it was nice to have more people than just one to have my back.

"I will... as always, remember?" I answered with the hearty and motherly smile.

And I earned from Lei Lei the smile back.

"At least there's the action-figure of me watching you while I'm gone." I said, pointing with my finger at Po's action figure of me in Lei Lei's paws, of which she always held tightly in her arms when I was gone.

"And to make sure that you're always with me, I have always this with me when I'm gone." I said as I dug from my poncho's pocket the small action-figure, which greatly resembled from every detail a little Lei Lei.

Because Po was master of making the action-figures, I had asked Po to make one for me which resembles Lei Lei... as one of the most important reasons for me to live and fight for, which were Kung Fu, Po, Master Shifu and everything in Jade palace, including the rest of the Five, in addition to Lei Lei.

Little Lei Lei giggled at this.

"Tigress, we were supposed to go, eh?" Crane suddenly said, reluctantly breaking this heartfelt and mother-and-daughter-like moment between of me and Lei Lei.

"And I suggest you two to go fast, before this storm gets more worse." Monkey suggested from aside as well...

...which was followed by the disappointed and frustrated sight from the direction of Mantis, who was standing on Monkey's shoulder as usually.

"I still hope that master Shifu could have select me as one of the search party, instead of holding me back here." Mantis loudly complained.

"And why's that, Mantis? Afraid that that panda baby gets bored to Po's action-figure resembling you and starts to reach to real one like you." Monkey joked before he humorously chuckled at this, causing Mantis to glare at him in annoyance.

Ignoring those two, I turned to Crane and nodded to him, remembering our mission to go out there to look for Po and bring him back.

And so, I started to walk towards Grandma Panda to hand over Lei Lei into her arms.

Little panda was still unwilling to let go of me after I handed her over to Grandma panda's arms.

"Don't worry, sweetheart. I'll be back soon enough, as soon as we find Po and bring him back." I said comfortingly and I placed the humorous poke on sweetly giggling Lei Lei's nose, before I placed the motherly kiss on her forehead.

"Keep her away from the trouble, okay?" I, quite humorously, said to Po's action-figure of me in Lei Lei's arms.

And then, with the mother's heavy heart, I had to depart from Lei Lei, as I turned around and walked towards the rest of the Five.

And when I passed the corner where Mr. Ping and Li Shan were standing, they immediately shoot out from the darkness of the corner and locked their still upset for Shifu's orders and with the demanding looking eyes at me.

"You guys better find my son and bring him back well and safe, once when we can not come with you, thanks to Shifu." Li Shan said with the demanding and still upset tone.

"And once you find him, tell him at first that he'll never ever again run away from home like that!" Mr. Ping said with the demanding the for Po's safety deeply worried tone.

I shook my head in amuse of their tone of voices and behaviors.

That's what they are, a bit overprotective fathers.

I knew well Li Shan's reason to be, but the reason why Mr. Ping was was the completely mystery to me.

However, I simply nodded them.

"Don't worry, Mr. Ping and Li Shan. We'll find him, He'll be back before you can say..."

SUDDENLY...

...something unexpectedly flied through of the Training Hall's doors with the speed which smashed the doors in the pieces.

We all were caught by surprise and off guard by this sudden blast against our doors that all those of us who were standing even near of the doors, mostly me, Crane, Lei Lei, Grandma panda, the rest of the Five and Po's fathers, were roughly dragged by the blast wave and knocked over to the ground.

The blast was loud enough to get the attention of nearly departed master Shifu as well, as he quickly turned around to see what was happening in here.

Once we were knocked over to the ground by this sudden blast, we quickly covered our faces with our arms to protect them from the door's pieces, which flied everywhere from the impact with something which greatly resembled the hit from the cannonball.

And very soon after that blast, that large object which flew through the doors thumped loudly to the ground in the lower level of the Training Hall.

At first, we though that it was attack laid upon the Jade palace and we all turned to the massive hole in the doors, but as the object let out the very loud and undoubtedly very familiar grunt in pain after it landed roughly against the ground...

...we all turned to the direction of the voice.

AND THEN, WE ALL GASPED IN SHOCK!

IT WAS PO!

Po was lying almost motionless in the middle of the Training Hall's training area!

He didn't say anything, he did not move his limbs, he did not even try to get up like he had no any strength for it!

And worse, much to the shock of mine and the rest of us all.. we all saw that Po's entire body was covered by the dozens and dozens of bad-looking and bleeding bruises, giving us a hint that Po has gone through the severe beating out there!

And once Po's fathers managed to take look at him and realized that what was flied through of the doors...

"SON?!" They both loudly exclaimed in shock, before they quickly rushed to him.

"PO?!" Rest of the Five exclaimed as they rushed to Po as well.

"WHAT IN EARTH...?!" Master Shifu exclaimed in shocked tone as he too quickly rushed towards Po.

"PO, WHAT HAPPENED?!" I let out the bellow when I rushed in all fours to Po's side.

Once we all reached closer to him, we realized much to our shock that his state was even worse than we saw a small distance away.

Po was really, really severely beaten and barely conscious.

His body was badly broken and battered...

...and yet he was severely wounded/mutilated, as his body was, along with the numerous bruises, covered by the dozens of wounds, which looked like the severe superficial slashes or even deeper wounds such like the stab wounds, which was why Po's body was covered with BLOOD... much to my shock!

He laid motionless so long that we didn't know whether he's dead or alive.

I was about to ask Grandma Panda to turn Lei Lei and little Bao's eyes away from seeing this, until I saw that it was too late. Lei Lei and little Bao had both seen this sight and both of them looked at Po's broken, battered and mutilated body in silence and shock.

However, I did not need to tell Grandma Panda, because from the quick and single look to my worried faces and look targeted at her, she already knew what to do, and with Mei Mei's help, the pandas turned the kids eyes away from the sight.

We finally reached to Po and surrounded him from every corner, our shocked and worried eyes locked at him.

Po's fathers, Shifu and the rest of the Five quickly gathered to Po's side on his right side, while I rushed to Po's side on his left side.

I carefully placed my right paw beneath of Po's badly bruised and mutilated head and gently lifted him up. I also wrapped my left arm over his body, crabbing him from his right arm to lift him a little bit up from the floor.

And once I did so, Po suddenly started to struggle to open his eyes, one of which was nearly swollen and Po let out the couple gasps.

I gasped too, all of us did, to find out that Po was miraculously still alive, despite of being brutally beaten.

"HE'S ALIVE! BARELY!" I shouted.

I saw then master Shifu standing next of Po's head in the right side of Po.

"Po? Panda? Can you hear my voice?" Shifu said gently and fatherly, trying to keep his cool under control in his shocked state I sensed on him.

"SON! CAN YOU HEAR OUR VOICES?!" I heard both Mr. Ping and Li Shan exclaiming in unison and with the deeply shocked and panicking tone of voices, as Mr. Ping hold Po from his right motionless paw and Li Shan fell on his knees next to Po's head.

"Are you okay, sweetheart?" Viper gently said as she slithered on Po's stomach. She of course knew herself that Po's current state was far from being okay but she just had that old habit to ask from him every time when he seemingly gets hurt in the training.

"PO! WHAT HAPPENED OUT THERE?! WHO DID THIS TO YOU?!" I exclaimed with the worried tone.

However, the struggling seemed to be too much for Po's current state as he closed his eyes and in my arms.

He then remained roughly over five minutes motionless.

Roughly over five awkwardly silent minutes.

As I looked at his motionless and beaten form in shocked, worst-fearing and catatonic state...

...before I gently placed his body's down to the ground.

And once I did, I looked at my paws, I saw the fresh blood in them...

...PO'S BLOOD!

I started to feel the same internal and emotional pain what I felt back then when I saw with my very own eyes Po getting the deadly blast from Lord Shen's massive cannon back in Gongmen City's Fireworks Factory and I feared that he was dead.

But now, now when I probably witnessed Po's death in my paws and that someone had dared to do this to Po behind our backs, I felt the same growing and high flammable rage boiling inside of me, what I've not felt inside of me since my childhood after being rejected over and over by many other children.

No it wasn't the rage out of frustration, but more like the mix of emotional rage and the desire for vengeance.

Everything turned into a humming silence around me.

I felt my blood boiling...

My muscles tensed...

I squeezed my fingers in anger shaking fists...

My tail swung side to side rapidly...

I felt an irresistible desire to bare my fangs from behind of my lips...

I tried to resist my growing rage... but I failed whenever I looked at Po's brutally beaten and motionless body.

And then, I finally lost to it.

My eye pupils turned streaked and I narrowed my eyes...

I bared my fangs and started to let out the aggressive growls...

I extended my claws out from my fingers...

I eventually jumped upright and let out the loud and mighty roar, much to the shocking surprise of the others.

The pandas behind of me quickly backed off as I furiously and aggressively growling turned around and headed to the doors of the Training Hall.

I draw both of my katanas out of the sheaths hanging on my back.

" _I'M GONNA FIND OUT WHO DID THIS TO HIM... AND I'M GONNA KILL HIM_!" I roared in the deep growling tone in such of the boiling and vengeful rage, that I was ready to kill single-handily even the entire army of the wolves under the symbol of the blood-red flaming sun.

All just looked after me, unable and even unwilling to say something against my current intentions...

...except master Shifu.

"Tigress? Tigress! Tigress, come back here now! TIGRESS!" Master Shifu called my name many times over...

...but I stubbornly and aggressively ignored him and kept going to the doorway of the Training Hall.

I was about to step outside into the pouring rain...

Until suddenly...

" _No... Tigress..._ " I head someone calling my name again, but the speaker's tone of voice sounded to be too weak to belong at the moment to anyone else in the same hall with me, except...

"PO?"

Once I heard Po calling weakly my name, I immediately snapped out of my blind aggressive and vengeful rage and I stopped in my steps in near-outside of the doorway of the Training Hall. I immediately stopped baring my fangs from behind of my lips, I pulled my extended claws back inside of my fingers, my tail stopped swinging rapidly and my pupils turned into my normal eye pupils.

I turned back to the crowd behind of my, and I saw that Po, now lying in his panda father's arms but his eyes still closed, was weakly reaching to my direction with his left arm.

" _Tigress... wait! Please, wait!_ " Po whispered weakly.

I immediately without the second threw my sword aside and rushed with all my fours back to Po's side.

I quickly but gently landed my right paw on his left shoulder and grabbed from his right paw with my left paw, and I allowed Po to weakly grab with his left paw from my shoulder.

Po seemed to be struggling again to stay in conscious and his mouth moved like he was about to tell us something.

"Po, po! It's me! Tigress! Look at me! Look at me, Po! Stay with us! Stay with us! Stay with us and tell what happened! Po, look at me! Stay conscious! What happened out there?! Who did this to you?! PO! LOOK AT ME AND ANSWER ME! WHO DID THIS TO YOU!" I encouraged him to remain conscious - trying to keep my cool - until I raised my voice louder when I asked him in fear for him to tell us that what happened out there and who dared to do this to him.

Po did not immediately answer me but kept struggling to keep his conscious.

And then, he unexpectedly pulled me down to his level and did his best to raise his head next to my right ear.

" _Y-you... you guys... You... Y-you need to-to get o-out of here! You ne-ne-need to... get the... the pandas out of-of here im-immediately! He-he's coming for-for them! He's... c-coming!_ " Po feebly whispered in my ear, like desperately and with his last strengths to warning me and all of us for something, which the others very near of us were also able to hear.

I found myself confused after his confusing whispers.

What he was even talking about?

And who was "he" he was constantly mentioning?

"Who, Po? What are you talking about? Who is coming?"

We all held our breath as we prepared to hear that who was "he" who Po was talking about.

And then, Po finally opened his mouth to finish his warning.

" _H-h-he's... b-back!_ _L-LORD... SHEN!_ " Po whispered, before the gave up to this struggle and fainted again in my and Li Shan's arms.

My eyes widened in high-leveled shock after hearing that name, which sent the chills to travel through of my body!

" _What?!_ " I whispered in shock and horror!

All of us...

...master Shifu...

...the rest of the Furious Five...

...Mr. Ping...

...and especially, Li Shan and all the pandas...

...gasped in the high leveled shock after hearing such of terrible news, as we all looked shocked and speechless at Po with the eyes widened in shock and dropped jaws.

The pandas immediately backed off from Po after they heard such of terrible news.

But from all of them, Li Shan was the most shocked and horrified of these news.

" _NO!_ " He whispered in shock, horror and desperate, as he slowly turned his head to the doorway.

We all followed his example and turned our eyes to the doorway and looked at the stormy sky.

In outside of the Training Hall, the storm turned into more and more fierce and outraging and a dense and vicious lightning get more and more violent, creating threatening shadows upon us.

I could even swear that in the light of a dense and vicious lightning, I saw the menacing-looking head of the peacock with the viciously glowing blood-red eyes forming out of the passing dark thunderstorm clouds in the laughing position.

The viciously dense lighting even created from this formation of the thunderstorm clouds the threatening shadows, which reached through of the doorway of the training hall and fell upon us.

And, to make the situation even worse, we were even able to hear in the stormy sky resounding and humming devilish laugh – which greatly resembled without mistake the maniacal laugh of the Lord Shen himself, as the thunderstorm rages on.

The pandas looked all around in deep panic as this devilish laugh filled the entire air space of the Training Hall, and I heard behind of me little Lei Lei crying in fear of this disturbing devilish laugh.

I turned then my look at the dark figure of the peacock on the dark sky, which was like he was looking at us with the devilish grin and staring us with his viciously clowing blood-red eyes, before his figure faded away with the storm wind.

Even though I did not showed any sight of fear but pure wrath towards the evil peacock's figure on the story sky, I was fearing for the threatened safety of my little Lei Lei, the safety of Po, master Shifu's, the safety of all of us as I faced the horrible truth...

 _HE'S BACK AND HE'S COMING FOR US!_

 **To be continued...**

 **I hoped you enjoyed the reading of this chapter.**

 **I don't know about you, but writing the end of this chapter got me shivers while thinking at the same time some disturbing scenes (which I do not want to talk about) I've ever seen on my life.**


	17. 17: Wolf invasion Part 1

****CHAPTER 17: WOLF INVASION PART 1.  
****

 **ENJOY THE READING!**

TIGRESS POV.

For the roughly over fifteen minutes, we were all still badly shocked about Po's news of Lord Shen's return from the death that we went all speechless and even unable to move our limbs due to our shock.

Especially pandas, despite their white fur, most of them had went to pale by the shock and fear after hearing Lord Shen's devilish and vicious laugh at the dark and violently storming sky and they stood in their places like the statues out of the fear, not daring to move their limbs.

Also master Shifu and the rest of the Five – who still stood around of the wounded and barely conscious Po's beaten and broken body – had went both speechless and motionless out of the shock from Po's news.

However, I was nearly only one of all of us in the Training Hall to recover from the shock of Bo's terrible news, and I boldly draw my katana's out with both of my paws, lunged towards the broken doors of the Training Hall and stood guard in next to the hole in the doors and I started carefully peek outside to the Training Yard and I started to look with my eyes any sigh for the possible attack by those ones who did this to poor Po.

Also, Li Shan was the second one, who managed to recover from his own shock from Po's news about the return of the mass slaughterer of the pandas and the cold-blooded murderer of his wife.

He also joined boldly to my side with the long bamboo-staff as his weapon to guard the doors and peeked outside from the huge hole of the doors to see if there's any kind of threats at the Training Yard threatening the Training Hall and everyone inside, lurking and stalking us in the darkness of the stormy night.

However, all what we were able to see, was the admixture darkness of the night and the dark thunderstorm and a downpour that hinders visibility. And the thunderstorm was itself getting even more and more harder, as the violent lighting became even more dense all around in the dark sky.

The lightnings also lightened the Training Yard, where did not seem to be any kind of movement of us threatening enemy.

The way was clear, at least for now.

Eventually, others started to slowly to recover from their shock of Po's news.

"What? What did Po just said?" Master Ping asked with the fear and concern in his voice, as he stood next to Po, holding from his right paw.

"Something very unbelievable, I say." On Monkey's shoulder standing Mantis said, becoming first of the Five to recover from the shock, judging from he regaining his ability to speak after he had recovered from the shock.

"Yeah, very unbelievable indeed! He said... that _Lord Shen is alive_ , or to something like that he said." Monkey said next, becoming the third member of the Five to recover from the shock, as he stood Po's left side.

"But that's impossible! You guys told me, you guys told all of us, that that evil peacock met his end back in the Gongmen City's in the duel against my son. If that was all true, even my son's recent news, then how in earth he can be still in the books of the living after what you have told me and rest to us?" Li Shan sternly questioned me, rest of the Five and Shifu, stubbornly disbelieving his own ears about the news of Lord Shen's return, even after Po had confirmed it in front of all of us.

"Hmm, quite impressive if he indeed managed to survive from that duel with Po." Crane, fourth member of Five to recover from the shock, stated.

However, I turned my face at him and let out the deep growl.

"NO WAY, CRANE!" I roared.

"With one hundred percent it is impossible that he can be still alive." I stated as I turned my eyes back to outside to the empty Training Area.

"We all know that because we were all there to witness the entire course of the event. Do you still remember? We all saw with our very own eyes what exactly happened back on that dawn in the harbor of the Congmen City." I said, reminding the others about the events back in the Gongmen City during of our battle against Lord Shen and his invade fleet.

 _ **Flashback**_

I remembered that day too well, as well as the course of the event aftermath of our final battle against Lord Shen.

I witnessed it with Monkey and Viper as we were hanging on one of the many in the water floating pieces of the destroyed wrecks of Shen's armada.

After the big blast from the flaming cannonball Po had throw back to Shen's flagship, I saw that Lord Shen had managed to survive from the blast, as he, while regained his consciousness on the wrecked deck of his from the explosion wrecked flagship, crawled up on his knees and looked around of him...

...only to see in front of his eyes his masterpiece, the gigantic cannon, destroyed as well in the huge blast with his flagship, and which was barely hanging above of him from the multiple ropes around of him as well as on the pile of the crushed timber and a cargo of the cannon ammunition and gunpowder of his flagship beneath of it.

Shen then looked at the position, where his massive fleet was a moment ago standing on his side...

... only to see that his fleet was gone... destroyed and the wrecks were either floating on the water or sinking beneath of the water.

As well as his evil creations of the mass destruction... the keys to his future as the overlord of entire China... were destroyed.

And his army of wolves and gorillas was completely defeated... and the remaining ones had either escaped from the harbor and the city or were captured by the city's guards in aftermath of the battle... albeit some of them had got killed during the battle.

All his plans for his "fate" as overlord... were destroyed.

And all because of the one single "remaining" Panda we know with the name Po the Dragon Warrior and unlikely hero of China, who had managed to gain Inner Peace. After finding out in the old Panda village near of the Gongmen City, where he had a long ago born, the truth about his father's and mother's true colors and sacrifice for him on the night of the blind massacre of the pandas, as he had told me and the rest of us during of our home trip back to Valley of Peace, and had used it against Lord Shen's fleet and superior weapons.

An then there was some prophecy, of which Po had told us that the goat soothsayer we met in Shen's throne room had long ago foretold about Po's destiny as "the Warrior of Black and White", who can stop Shen's evil plans.

And, as we witnessed it on that dawn, the prophecy had come true about his fate... or at least partially.

Shen was still alive from the blast that destroyed his flagship and sealed the complete destruction of his weapons, his fleet, his army and his plans to conquer the china, which had left Lord Shen himself completely shocked and confused on the deck of the wreck of his flagship.

"How... how... how did you... how did you do it, panda?" Shen had asked in shock and confusion and while trying to catch his breath from Po, who had risen aboard to confront him on the deck of his wrecked flagship

Po was briefly quiet after Shen's question before he opened his mouth to speak.

And, as I guessed so, Po wasn't at first aware at all of what Lord Shen had meant.

"Yeah, you know, you just gotta keep your elbows up and keep the shoulders loose-" Po had said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Not that, stupid panda! How did you managed to find peace, even after everything I've done to you? I took away your parents, everything! I-I- I scarred you for life!" Lord Shen had said, completely in unbelief that Po had managed to find Inner Peace even though he had watched as a kid the blind slaughter of his own kind and the destruction of his own village in the flames of Lord Shen.

"See, that's the thing, Shen. Scars heal." Po had said to him as an answer.

And he was right in that one.

For example Master Shifu, albeit not quite by the same reasons as both Po and Shen had, Master Shifu had for a years suffered from the emotional scars – along yet felt himself as a complete failure and living under of his self-pity - with the incident of Tai Lung long time ago before Po's showing up, after Master Oogway had denied from him the right to the Dragon Scroll due to the darkness within his heart, which Shifu had under of his pride unintentionally planted into Tai Lung, which had caused him to lose his sanity and give up to the darkness hatching in his heart, leading to the blind chaos and the destruction.

Po's sudden appear was able... though not easily... to heal Master Shifu's emotional scars and become more like what he was nowadays.

However, Shen wasn't satisfied of this answer and stubbornly denied this.

"No, they don't. Wounds heal, but not the scars." Shen had said with the dark tone but also with the attitude that, as if it remind him of something of unpleasant thing in the past, just like his symbols had done with Po.

"Oh, yeah. What do scars do? They fade, I guess?" Po had said as a respond to this, which angered Shen even more.

"I don't care what the scars do, panda." Shen had hissed at him.

"You should, Shen. I know that you're suffering from something in your past which has led you to become the monster like you are right now, but it is not too late even for you to turn back. You just gotta let go of that stuff from the past, 'cause it just doesn't matter anymore! The only thing that matters is what you choose to be now." Po had advised Shane with the words of the wisdom.

If those words were those ones who helped Po to recover from his childhood traumas, they may be able to help Shen to recover from his own problems, of which I, however, greatly doubted, because of him apparently being completely consumed by the evil in his heart.

We all looked at the awkwardly silent moment between of Po and defeated Shen with the tension and waiting for something unexpected happening soon between of them.

"You're right..." Shen had whispered, like he was about to finally give up...

...but no!

"Then I choose THIS!" Shen had suddenly said as he pulled out blades from his robes and unexpectedly attacked Po with them in the blind and vengeful fury.

I was able to expect this, because what kind of inner pain was ever dwelling within his heart, I knew that Shen was too consumed to his evil within his heart that he was completely unable to let go of his inner pain from the past, and was more than just unwilling to surrender himself up in front of Po.

I remember how I had hissed angrily as Shen had violently swung his blades at Po trying to kill him in front of us and the entire Gongmen City in revenge for making the end of his evil plans.

Though Po was forced into solely on the defensive and was quickly overwhelmed by evil peacock's fast attacks to him, he barely managed to hold his own by dodging his attacks one by one...

...but I remember how I gasped in shock as Shen managed to get close enough at one point to kill him as he swung his blades towards his head, but managed only to slice off some fur from his left temple, close to his left eye, and thus failed to wound him lethally.

Shen had even threw his blades towards Po, as he quickly picked up and used a piece of wood to shield himself from his throwing knifes.

Shen then picked up the sword from the deck and attacked again Po with it, aiming the multiple stabbing- and slicing-attacks in him, trying to chop his head off or trying to slice or stab him mortally.

Though Shen's swordplay overwhelmed Po, forcing him again solely on the defensive and doing his best to dodge Shen's attacks, in his blind furry, Shen failed to realize that he was slicing through the ropes holding up the remains of the ruined cannon towering above them.

As the ropes snapped in half one by one, the weight of the ruined cannon started slowly to be too much for all of that in the explosion crushed timber beneath of the cannon and it was about to give up.

Eventually the heavy weapon started to fall towards of Po and Shen, who realized this too late.

However, Po quickly realized that he needed to get out of there and started to run as the cannon kept falling on Shen, who did not seem to even attempt to save himself from beneath of the falling cannon. He just remained still on his place as the cannon fell to the deck and apparently crushed him to the death...

...and to seal his fate, and to fulfill the prophecy about his fate, the flaming cannon fell also onto the ship's gunpowder cargo, resulting in a great explosion that destroyed the remains of his flagship and sunk the it to the waters.

But, to my relief though at first shock, Po was caught by the blast but he still managed barely to escape the explosion, which flung Po into the water, where he managed to survive the blast.

 _ **End of the Flashback**_

"Of course we all remember the course of the event on that day, Tigress. We were all witnessing the explosion which caught Lord Shen after causing by himself being apparently crushed by his own weapon of mass destruction." Mantis said.

We all were agree on that one.

All of us, the entire Gongmen City, had witnessed with our and their very own eyes Shen getting crushed by his own weapon before the explosion had consumed the remains of his flagship and sunk to the water... probably and apparently Lord Shen within it.

"But do you think that Shen managed to somehow evade his fate?" Monkey asked, or more likely guessed.

"No! We all saw that that wicked peacock didn't even attempt to save himself from being crushed by his own weapon before it was too late for him, Monkey. Besides, there's no way any peacock or any mighty warrior could have survive from that." Viper stated, being the last one of the Five to recover from the shock of Po's news about Shen's return.

I then left from the door and jumped towards the rest of the Five and Po, landing right next to them.

"Remember, Viper, that we weren't dealing back then with any peacock or the warrior." I reminded Viper.

"Though he's not the great legend in the entire history of Kung Fu, he is still _Lord Shen_ himself...

 _...Genocidal of the Pandas..._

 _...Creator of the fire-and-metal-spitting-weaponry..._

...and _The most evil peacock of all China_ , as Po would say so if he could right now." I said, just... I mean, just this once speaking in Po's style about him like that peacock indeed was some kind of legend with his gruesome actions.

Of course, I didn't mean that.

Some of the pandas also started to recover from their own shock... as Po's cousins Dim and Sum walked together to alongside of Li Shan to the doors of the Training Hall and peeked outside... kind of, replacing my position in watch.

"Well, I wish that I could say that we aren't quite surprised, after hearing many stories about the defeated villains from you during of our time here." Dim said to us.

"I remember you telling us the legend of the someone snow leopard maniac becoming insane after he was denied Po cousin's title and was captured for his crimes against this Valley... and then, after twenty years, he returned to spread his chaos to this Valley again." He added.

"And the next legend we already know, maybe too well... starting from our kin's old village getting invaded, burned down and our kind getting blindly slaughtered by the evil white peacock, who aftermath was sentenced to eternal exile... but still he came back and nearly conquered the China, if it wasn't you Five and our cousin to stop him." Sum said.

"And then was this big, obese, horn-headed blade-wielding maniac dude collecting Chi-called things from us... until he was exiled from this world to some place called Spirit Realm as you call it by the some old turtle dude. But he still came back... and nearly complement his lust for them." Dim said again, with the shivers of fear as he apparently remembered with his brother seeing General Kai the Collector back in their secret panda village when Kai attacked there.

"But this... this time, this... what cousin Po just said... about that same Evil White Peacock... about his so-said return... he was just kidding, wasn't he? That Evil White Peacock is still dead, right? And cousin Po was just kidding with us, right? RIGHT? RIGHT?" Both of the brothers said with the fear in their voices.

I turned at Po's cousins with the scolding tone.

"If you two honestly believe that Po was just kidding with us about Shen's return by coming back in the state LIKE THIS, AND OPENLY CONFIRMING THIS IN FRONT OF US! You two are badly wrong!" I scolded Po's cousins, for doubting their own cousin's words.

I don't doubt him... none of us does, because Po is too honest to be the liar and we all knew that Po would never lie to us as one of us.

The brief silence fell upon us, as me and the rest of the Five, along with master Ping, we all stood in Po's side.

"Guys, what would you say if we take him to the village's doctor to be checked out? Or what about we all should just get out of here while we still can?" Li Shan suddenly said, breaking the brief silence.

After hearing this, master Shifu was the next one to snap out of his own shock state.

"What? NO! We can't leave the Jade Palace behind... not after it was just repaired from the destruction Kai caused to it." Shifu protested.

"But if Lord Shen has returned back from his supposed death and he has got Po nearly beaten up to the death like this, how do we know if he does not send his hordes of wolves to here to get the rest of us? We all know that what he wants, is all pandas dead, to the last child. Besides, judging from Po's wound and being apparently beaten up by the most larger wolf pack ever, we are not even prepared for the massive wolf attack if they are even about to attack here. So, for the safety of Po and all pandas here, we should leave here before it is too late to leave." Li Shan protested back.

"AND WHAT ABOUT PO, MASTER SHIFU?! WE SHOULD TAKE HIM TO VILLAGE'S DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY!" Mr. Ping protested after Li.

"But the Jade Palace has been stood up here on top of Jade Mountain over nine hundred years and build by Great Master Oogway as a symbol of justice, honor, and courage. On that night when he passed away, Oogway trusted the well-being of the palace on my shoulders, and I'm going to respect it for fighting to the death to defend it." Master Shifu protested back.

"We just can't leave it to be ruined, spoiled and raided by those wolves." He added.

Just like the Great Master Oogway on his youth, also master Shifu was bonded to the Jade Palace and that's why he was nearly self-forbidden to abandon it just like that.

I had to admit that as the master of tiger-style of Kung Fu, I have also the deep bond to the Jade Palace and to its secrets and everything relating to it, but still... thanks to Po's showing up... I always put the innocent and defenseless life in life-threatening danger at a priority instead of Jade Palace.

Especially pandas.

Though Po had taught them all to know and use Kung Fu, they were all too scared... especially little Bao and little Lei lei... and they seemed to be much eager to escape from Jade Palace than stay and fight for Jade Palace against the evil one, who had nearly sent their kind to the extinction.

And as a friend of Po and Mei Mei and mother-figure to little Lei Lei, I would not allow anyone of these pandas to get hurt... or killed.

"With all respect, master... I think that Li Shan has got the point. We are not even prepared to fight. But I'm not talking about abandoning Jade Palace, but I'm rather talking about the fact that we have here handful of pandas, even two children, about the get in the crossfire between of us and Shen. And I am not sure that the pandas are ready to face Lord Shen and his wolf army in the open battle, not just yet. I mean, look at them."

I pointed with my paw my master to look at the pandas in the corner of the Training Hall's center floor, who looked at him with the traumatic fear for their lives. Even master Shifu couldn't resist the fearful look in nearly crying little Lei Lei's face.

"Besides, Po is badly hurt and even unable to stand. So before we start think about the Jade Palace, should we at first evacuate the pandas away from here and take Po to the village's doctor to be checked before the rest of us shall prepare for the fight?" I asked from Shifu.

Master Shifu did not wasted his time by thinking about it, but he responded with the stern nod - putting the innocent and defenseless life in life-threatening danger at a priority - immediately called Zeng, who had went to paralyzed by the shock after seeing Po's savagely injured form lying in the ground in the badly beaten state... including, after hearing his terrible and shocking news of Shen's return.

Master Shifu called him by his name many times over and over and over again, but the goose didn't probably heard him as he looked paralyzed and his beak hanging in shock at Po's badly hammered body.

Eventually, Shifu had to slap the shocked goose across his face to get him to snap out of his shock and turn his attention at him.

"Zeng, I ask from you one more request. Fly to Hu and ask him to sent the request to nearest imperial outpost for two hundred imperial rhino soldiers to be sent to the Valley of Peace to protect both the villagers and pandas and another to Jade Palace as the reinforcements, because we do not have idea how big a pack of wolves we're about to face this time." Shifu ordered.

"And also ask the village doctor to open his hospital, because we have injured panda here who needs to be checked out." Monkey added for Shifu to Zeng.

And while Shifu was giving his request to Zeng to be delivered to Hu, I lifted Po's left arm over my shoulder and started to help him up, with Ping's help.

LI SHAN'S POV

I was grateful to Tigress for siding with me in this situation, when I said that we all should leave here while we still can...

...though master Shifu agreed to evacuate the pandas and Po out of here, but refused to leave himself and leave the Jade Palace behind at the mercy of Shen's wolves.

I then hurried immediately from the doors towards my son and Tigress, after I saw that she was trying her best to help my son to get up from the ground by lifting his left arm over his shoulder and wrapping her right arm around of Po, while with Mister Ping was doing his best to help her as well by holding Po's right paw in his wings.

I rushed to Mr. Ping's place and lifted my son's right arm over my shoulder, after which I looked at Tigress, who looked at me with the grateful smile for my offered help.

Because even as strong Kung Fu master, even she wasn't able to carry Po on her own, so she needed help... or she needed more likely to get ready for the possibly upcoming fight against supposedly incoming Shen and his wolves.

"Thank you, Master Tigress, but I take this from here. You need to get ready before the fighting starts." I said to her, or more likely I urged her.

However, Tigress shook her head in disagreement.

"No, not yet. Only then after I have taken Po out of here and ensured that he is in safe and in the good hands." She had responded.

I gave to her my grateful smile, as we both together turned around to carrying Po on our shoulders, we started to move towards the doors of the training hall, where Dim and Sum were still on watch.

SUDDENLY...

"Uh, guys..." Dim suddenly said like he had saw something outside of the hall.

"WE GOT COMPANY!" The brothers suddenly exclaimed in unison.

Almost all of us, except for me, Tigress, Mr. Ping, master Shifu and the pandas, rushed to the door and looked outside from the hole to the yard.

Even though I wasn't able to see that what they exactly meant about "we are about to have company" but I was afraid that it was just what I feared.

I even already sensed somehow the true colors of this so-called "company."

"It's too late to get out of here anymore. _They're already here!_ "

MONKEY'S POV

I immediately rushed to the door's hole after Po's cousins exclaimed in warning-like tone that "we were about to have some company." so I quickly peeked outside of the hole to see that what did they even meant.

And I saw clearly that what did they meant.

In the darkness of the night and this vicious thunderstorm, opened the dozens, dozens, dozens and even more dozens of vicious-looking and blood-red glowing eyes, in the Training Yard and above of the Training Yard's bordering wall and they were all viciously glaring at us...

...and as one of the vicious thunder bolts flashed in the sky right above of us, it also did lighten the area in front of us and revealed dozens and dozens of at us threateningly grinning wolves bearing the tattoo of the symbol of the blood-red Flaming Sun!

"WOLVES! LORD SHEN'S WOLVES! ENTIRE TRAINING YARD IS FULL OF THE WOLVES!" I exclaimed as a warning cry for everybody in the Training Hall to hear.

All of us, especially the pandas, gasped in shock.

Li Shan was right, it was indeed too late for us to get out of here... and even to prepare for this.

"What we do now?!" Sum asked from me, while trying hardly to hold back his own panicking desire.

"What's the plan?! You said that cousin Po is usually the one with the plan, the some kind of unusual yet functional plan, either earlier or later made plan, so what are we going to do without cousin Po to come up with the SOME SHORT OF PLAN?!" Dim exclaimed, nearly giving up to his panicking desire.

However, I knew that because the wolves were already here and they could attack inside of the Training Hall in any minute, I knew that we should not to waste time to wait Po coming up with the some kind of plan, because he wasn't able for it right now.

"Dim, Sum, I don't think that we have time for the plan." I said to Po's cousins as I stepped back and took my Tree-Section-Staff into my hands and ready for action.

"Why not?" Both Po's cousins asked from me in unison.

SUDDENLY...

Couple of the wolves suddenly and completely unexpectedly jumped through of the wooden wall of the Training Hall from the doors right side the swords as their primary weapons... and right after them, two another wolves jumped through of the wooden wall from the doors left side.

"WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!" Both Po's cousins screamed, as the wolves started to pour inside from the holes in the wall and from the hole in the doors of the Training Hall to inside, all of them glaring at us with their maniac blood-red glowing eyes and aming their swords at us.

Their menacing approaching at us forced us to retreat from the doors to the middle of the Training Hall.

"DIM AND SUM, QUICKLY! JADE TORTOISE OF WISDOM! TURN IT OVER AND COVER THE PANDAS!" I ordered Po's cousins.

Both pandas, immediately jumped to the Jade Tortoise of Wisdom and together they quickly turned it over and pushed it towards the corner where the pandas had gathered, so that the heavy jade object would protect the pandas from the wolves for some time.

VIPER'S POV.

I looked at the attacking wolves in shock.

Of course we have fought the wolves before but not in our own home at the area of the Jade palace.

And to make things even worse, more wolves started to break their way in through of the west-side wall.

They even started to come from the north-side wall... from the east-side wall... and even through of the ceiling!

 _WE WERE SURROUNDED_!

And now because Po wasn't able to lead us in this fight, Tigress took the full command of us.

I saw how she removed Po's leftarm off her shoulder, leaving him to be completely carried by Li Shan and Mr. Ping.

"MASTER SHIFU, LI SHAN AND MR. PING, TAKE PO AND THE PANDAS INTO COVER, BEHIND OF THE JADE TORTOISE OF WISDOM! WE'LL COVER YOU!" Tigress ordered as she quickly directed Li Shan to take Po into the corner and behind of the Jade Tortoise with the rest of the pandas.

I also saw master Shifu turning to Zeng.

"ZENG, GO! YOU'RE OUR ONLY HOPE NOW!" Shifu ordered.

Without the question or the hesitation, Peng took off into the air and flied away from the roof opening of the Hall to get us help.

Luckily for him, the wolves pouring inside from the roof hole didn't seem to even care about his presence. Their all focus was all in us.

 **To be continued...**

 **I hoped you enjoyed the reading of this chapter.**


	18. 18: Wolf invasion Part 2

******CHAPTER 18:****** ** ** ** ** **WOLF INVASION PART 2.**********

 **ENJOY THE READING!**

VIPER'S POV.

"CRANE, VIPER! YOU COVER THE WEST AND NORTH SIDE WALLS! DON'T LET ANY WOLF TO PASS YOU!" Tigress ordered, before she turned with Monkey and Mantis to those ones coming from the doors and the holes of the door wall.

"WE'RE ON IT!" Crane responded, before he turned to me and winked me with the eye.

I winked back at him and then, together, we both attacked against our most unwelcome guests.

I started to use my speed to dodge the wolves straight and lateral attacks with their swords and the heavier attacks with their spiked maces - though the attacks of the swords were surprisingly quicker and rapidly repeating - and after every dodge, I delivered the quick whip-like kicks with my tail at the wolves faces and stomachs one by one.

One of them tried to crush my head with the spiked mace, but I quickly dodged the hard strike as the spiked ball caused the hole to the floor, after which I coiled myself around of the mace's handle and pulled with all my strength the weapon out of the wolf's paws.

"TAKE THAT!" I said to the wolf, as I delivered hard tail-kick to its stomach and sent it to fly against its own friends, taking down several at once.

Crane, having flied to my side, fought against the wolves by dodging the wolves attacks and blocking their swords blades with his own wing-blades, using them as a close combat weapons and a shield at the same time.

And after blocking the wolves attacks against his into the shield formation formed wing-blades or turning them aside, he used his legs to either deliver the straight kick to the wolves stomachs, sending them over to the ground, or to grab from the wolves wrists and legs from beneath of their guards and after gaining the upper hand (or wing) over his evil opposites, Crane dragged them with force to the ground one by one.

Crane was luckily fast enough to block the attacks with his wing blades from front and above of him, as some wolves tried to attack him from behind by leaping into the air and struck him with the straight attacks from above.

Crane also used his increased speed to create the powerful gust of wind he calls "wings of justice" to knock the several wolves down to the ground at once, if he was surrounded by the wolves.

TIGRESS POV.

"MONKEY! MANTIS! YOU'RE WITH ME!" I ordered as the wolves began their attack.

I quickly re-draw my katanas out and started battle against the wolves.

At least four of them... with three of them using the two pairs of serpentine-bladed swords and one wielding the spear with long and flame-resembling blade... attacked all together against me.

I battled them fiercely, but the wolves, much to my surprise, they moved two times faster than usually while dodging my attacks or changing the fighting position, kept leaping to the air more often and they fought with their weapons... and adding to their attacks the physical attacks like lateral, hooked, straight and double-kicks... a double-times more fiercely like the well-trained Kung Fu warriors.

The only error was that their moves weren't the martial arts of Kung Fu.

And with all four together, they somehow managed to force me on the defensive state.

That was odd... because I don't remember Lord Shen's wolves to be trained with the martial arts when we battled them last time.

I did my best to dodge or block with my katanas every attack with the sword or spear they delivered at me... but I didn't manage to get myself out from the defensive state as the wolves doubled their attacks and increased their attacks speed and brutal force...

...and they didn't even seem to get easily tired from that.

However, as one of them tried to stab at me with his spear, I quickly jumped up into the air and spread my legs that the spear ran through beneath of me.

I took my advantage of this and quickly coiled my legs around of it into the tight grip.

And then I made the barrel roll in the air and the spear, which I had managed to pull off the wolf's paws after I wrapped my legs around of it, followed the pace of my barrel roll and I spun around couple times in the air, before I spread my legs to wide again, releasing the spear from the grip of my legs, and I landed on my feet to the ground.

The wolves, at least three of them however, weren't expecting me of doing that, and as an result I had managed to knock out all three swordsman wolves with the spear's end as I spun it with myself around in the air in the levels of the wolves heads.

Then the last wolf, from whom I took the spear, draw out his own sword and attacked me, in attempt to slice my faces which, however, I blocked with my own swords.

The wolf them tried to slice me in half from my waist with one lateral swing, but I managed just nick in time to dodge the sword's blade by jumping upwards to the air, out of the way of the sword, after which I spun myself around again and delivered the quick but fierce lateral hook-kick to the wolf's face, knocking the villain certainly to unconscious.

I was then attacked by two another wolves more.

One of them swung his sword towards me, but I positioned my katanas into X-position and blocked his attack.

Another one of them, using this as an advantage to get close to kill me, raised his sword to the left side of his head and swung it with the lateral swing towards me.

Thinking quickly, I lifted my left leg upwards and towards the sword and I managed to kick to the edge of the blade's flat side.

And as an result of which, I managed to send the sword to fly in arch upwards that its blade flew into the wolf's faces, causing the wolf, whom had no time to react to my counter-attack though it left him temporarily stunned, to go dizzy from the quick yet hard impact of the blade's flat side against his faces.

And I finished him off with the straight kick to his stomach, sending the wolf to fly aside to the feet of his incoming buddies, tripping them to the ground, after which I was finally able to focus to my current opponent, who pressed his sword down at me with full force.

And then, as I still held my katanas in X-position holding back the wolf's sword's blade over of my own, I quickly changed my swords position and captured my opponent's sword's blade between of my swords blades and guards and with the hard swung, I pulled the sword out of the wolf's paws and threw it aside...

...which, ironically, flew towards one incoming wolf invader.

The wolf did not managed to react to this, before the blade had bloodily pierced his faces, killing him.

After I finished off my disarmed foe, by coiling my legs around of his head and with the admixture of rolling in the air and halterneck-move throwing his towards the front lines of the incoming wolf pack, I quickly looked back to Pandas, and I saw that master Shifu, Li Shan and Mr. Ping had managed to get Po into the safety.

MONKEY'S POV

Once the wolves broke into the Training Hall from the holes in the walls and from the open doorway and started to fight us, they left me no time to turn around, hurry towards the Training Hall's weapon stand and pick up some weapon as my weapon of choice to fend off these unwelcome invaders.

I was immediately attacked by a countless numbers of wolves storming in from the doorway, forcing me to hold my ground alongside Tigress and handle our enemies with the bare hands if had to.

I was immediately attacked by the first wolf, who was carrying in his paws a long spear with the flame-resembling blade. And with that as his weapon of choice, the wolf immediately attacked me.

At first, he wolf launched his attack on me by repeatedly swinging his spear's flame-like long blade's tip and fatally sharp edges in the lateral attacks from side to side and towards me in attempt to either slice my throat or my stomach open.

However, the wolf ended up only to hit mere empty air as I repeatedly dodged his attacks one by one by bowing down out of the spear head's way.

And after each narrowly made dodge out of the spear head's way, I felt in my neck the cold gust of the wind and chills giving slicing sound of the blade, that followed the spear head's movement with each swing.

And when the wolf attempted to direct his strike to the lower level while swinging his spear head from my right to my left, I swiftly made a quick move to my right, thus dodging the spear head's strike, which could have sliced my head in half at a sharp angle.

The wolf attempted the first strategy on me four times more, only to end up slicing the empty air as I kept dodging the strikes by bowing down out of the spear head's way... and at the third attack, I bounced up to the air that that the spear head swung beneath of me.

And after fourth round, from repeating failures frustrating wolf lifted his spear above of his head and prepared to pull his weapon downwards on me in attempt to slice me in half.

However, this ultimately failed as well, as I surprisingly bounced up and towards the wolf while his strike was in a midway position. I grabbed with both of my hands from the spear, quickly changed its position from the straight to the lateral position, and right after that, I performed the backwards somersault and delivered the doubled hook-kick with both of my legs to beneath of the wolf's chin, thus sending him to fly in arch backwards and getting him to release his grip from the spear.

However, the first attacker was very soon replaced by a four a new attackers, three of which were armed with the pairs of serpentine-bladed swords and the flame-like daggers and the third one with the staff, which he turned into the three-section-staff in his paws.

Their attack left me with no time to go to pick up the weapon of my own that would fit to my fighting style perfectly, so I was forced to use the spear I took from the first wolf as my primary weapon, until I get a better weapon for myself.

Then, I was attacked by the first wolf who had formed its arms into X-position that both of his paws were in each side of his head.

"FOR MASTER SHEN!" The wolf declared, as he pulled his left arm back to the left and he pulled his right arm with the waving swing first over his head, then downwards and then finally to the left, releasing from both of paws two pairs of throwing stars, which were positioned into two lines in different levels.

"WOW!" I exclaimed, both shocked and surprised that these wolves would go to so low level to use unfair tricks instead of facing me in the face-to-face combat.

I reacted to the first wave of incoming throwing stars by bouncing up and making the barrel roll to my right in the air, which was my desperate attempt to avoid the incoming lethal weapons by sneaking through of the spaces between of them.

And as I made my barrel roll, I barely managed to avoid the first one from hitting to my chest's right side, though I performed my barrel roll too fast that my left side just bellow of my left armpit took hit and left the small but still painful superficial scratch.

The next one was pretty close call, as the throwing star - which was very close to hit me and sink its blade fatally to the back of my head - flied over of my head and left another and quite harmless but still coldly stinging superficial scratch to my head's left edge.

The third one of the throwing stars left the third superficial scratch to my right shoulder, as I turned back to the wolves and accidentally lifted my right arm and shoulder upwards on its way.

And the last one of the throwing stars left the fourth superficial scratch to my up to the air lifted right arm - just above of my right elbow - as I was about to land back on my feet to the ground after I had through of miracle made it through of the first wave of throwing stars.

But none of them had hit me with the lethal consequences.

It was time for my counter-attack.

"And this is a payback for Po!" I countered with words, as I threw the spear hard and straight towards the wolf, with the spear's blunt head ahead, with the direct hit in between of the wolf's eyes, knocking him both out cold and onto his back over to the ground.

However, the three wolves, two of them leaping over of my head and through of at the same time made elegant-looking somersault and landing on their feet to my backside before turning around and facing me with their swords and daggers and the third one coming from the front side, saw this as an opportunity to get me and attacked me from three direction.

"Ha! You cast away your only weapon of choice!" One of the wolves with the pair of swords said, as he went so lower level to mock me.

"Now you stand alone and _weaponless_ against all six of us!" Another wolf taunted me.

"TIME TO DIE!" The wolf with the three-section-staff taunted me, as he approached me.

I sensed the large amount of overconfidence in these wolves... nothing new.

"Your overconfidence is betraying you, guys. And as a Kung Fu warrior and monkey, I don't need a weapons, 'cause my best weapons are actually..." I calmly stated to the wolves as they approached me...

...until one of them with the three-section-staff eventually attacked me by swinging his three-section-staff towards me.

He attempted first to perform the straight strike by swinging his three-section-staff with the straight attack from up to downwards and from his right to his left, only for me to dodge his attack by moving out of his weapon's way to my left, prompting the wolf to attempt attack me with the lateral swing from his left.

However, I blocked this attack by lifting my right arm on the way of his weapon-holding arm, thus stopping it from its lateral flight.

And once I had blocked his attack, I grabbed from his three-section-staff's loose end with my right hand and pulled it off from the wolf's paws, thus disarming him.

And right after that, I bounced up into the air and performed the barrel roll in the air to my right, just next of the disarmed and from it surprised wolf, until I eventually stretched out my right leg towards his right arm and grabbed from his wrist.

"...ARE MY BODY AND MIND!" I finished, as I pulled the wolf off the ground and along with my barrel roll's rapid pace, though I immediately threw the wolf to aside afterwards, plus making him to fly against three of his pals and knocking both of them off their feet and out, allowing them to fall on their backs over to the ground.

And as the wolves started to attack me one by one from every corner, I grabbed from the three-section-staff, which I had picked as my a new and far more better weapon-of-choice, from its middle handle and lifted it above of my head and started to spin it rapidly with one of my hands.

Starting to use the three-section-staff as a staff, nunchaku and even a whip all at the same time, I blocked their attacks many times over... and I also disarmed some of them with the swift blows to their wrists or even knuckles, causing them to howl in pain and drop their weapons to the ground, before I finished of with the double-punch with my into the fists squeezed legs.

And I did multiple quick, in my hands twirling and swift blows to their legs, backs of their heads, stomachs, toes, faces, knees, heads, wrists and shoulders.

All of my swift blows, which I targeted to their heads and faces, were quite enough to knock them out.

And all of my swift blows to their knees, wrists, legs, toes and stomachs either caught their attention from me or paralyzed them in pain long enough for me to deliver the finishing blow on them.

When I got myself surrounded by them, I struck my staff to the hole in the ground and I jumped to its end, swinging myself around of its bending handle, moving myself forwards with my hands and delivering the storm of the leg-fist kicks to from everywhere at me charging enemies faces

MANTIS POV

I fought with Monkey's side, covering his right flank against the attackers.

When the wolves stormed into the Training Hall through of the doorway and the holes in the walls, I slipped in between of the jungle of the upcoming wolves. And with the every opportunity I got, I sneakily tripped them over to the ground five by five by either pulling or kicking their legs off beneath of them.

Well, I kinda had an endless opportunity due to my small size, which helped me to keep myself invisible in the wolves eyes as none of them ever looked down, and in addition of that, their eyes and attentions were locked into my friends.

And with my extremely sharp fore leg's claws and my speed together, I also disarmed dozens of wolves by slicing their swords blades and their spears, axes and maces handles and their longbows into multiple small pieces before I delivered to the wielders of the weapons I destroyed the finishing double-kick with my legs, with which I managed to take our three-four wolves at once.

Me and Monkey also worked together against the overwhelming number of the wolves by sharing the job: From my part of our shared job, I moved through of the wolf packs by jumping from the shoulder to shoulder of each wolf I passed, and I either performed my finishing double-kick to the wolves cheeks or faces and sent them to fall over each other or then I sliced their weapons blades and handles in the pieces with my claws, disarming them and leaving the majority of the disarmed wolves for Monkey to finish off. And Monkey did his own part of the shared job pretty well by swiftly moving his three-section-staff from side to side, knocking the wolves both out cold and to the ground with the hard and whipping strikes to the wolves' legs, stomachs, chests, to the sides, backs or top of their heads and faces... though he also disarmed some wolves I missed with the strikes to their toes, knees, shoulders, wrists and knuckles before finishing them off by himself.

And with our strategy, we were able to finish off nearly four dozen of invaders within the few seconds, leaving them all to lie in the huge piles in the ground

However... the odds turned against us as we got against us one of Lord Shen's army's huge, muscular and bulky gorillas, who smashed his way inside of the Hall by crushing with his huge and bare fists all of it what was left from the doors of the Training Hall... thus allowing/prompting even more of these invaders to enter inside of the Training Hall.

"COME ON, FAT SO!" Monkey shouted at the gorilla, as he boldly but maybe a bit foolishly charged at the gorilla.

I watched from aside, as best as I could because of my attackers, as Monkey delivered the multiple swift blows to his toes, legs, knees, stomach, chest, knuckles, wrists, shoulders, to each cheeks, faces, and the head.

Monkey even tried to deliver some physical attacks to the gorilla: like by picking up from the ground one of the wolves spears and bouncing backwards away from the brute, sinking the spear's bladed tip to the ground and bending it backwards with his own weight before launching himself at the gorilla and performing his rapidly repeating leg-punching to the gorilla's face.

However, with the exception of making the gorilla to step a couple steps back, the gorilla was like Monkey's strikes had no any kind of effect to him at all.

Instead, the angrily growling gorilla slapped with the strong swung Monkey's three-section-staff off his hands to the other side of the hall, right behind of the Jade Tortoise.

Such of move left Monkey stunned, as he followed his weapons flew away before he turned back to Gorilla.

And all what Monkey last saw, was the gorilla's massive fist, as the brutal warrior punched him with the strength, which made the impact with Monkey sound like the sound of gong, as the strong strike sent Monkey to fly roughly in arch through the air until he landed directly onto the Jade Turtle and rolled down along it to behind of it.

The strike apparently left Monkey to a dizzy from such of hard and fierce punch, which gotta be felt in his nose like his faces had been beaten with the hand-made club made out of the Iron Trees from the Jade Palace's garden... as Monkey had later told me.

I angered from this and charged at the Gorilla, despite our different sizes, but that wasn't going to stop me from having my revenge for what the bulky and brutal villain did to my bestie.

"FEAR THE BUG!" I shouted my war cry as I charged at my larger foe.

However, the gigantic ape responded to my charge by smashing me against the floor of the Training Hall with his massive fists, which ironically created the small pit, in middle of which I was lying in near-flat form and also dizzy from above of me unexpectedly came strike...

...and the gorilla even stamped me under of his large feet with the brutal force, pinning me down between of his massive weight and the floor of the Hall, leaving me no chance to even get up and use my own strength to lift his leg off me.

The gorilla even twice pressed his foot against the ground with his all weight... squeezing me between of is leg and the floor.

"GET OFF ME, YOU COLOSSAL FAT ASS!" I cried from beneath of his foot at the gorilla, as I still tried to get up on my feet...

...only to get squeezed under of his foot against the stone-hard floor beneath of me even harder and harder by from my insult angered gorilla, who probably wouldn't stop until he had crushed me to death.

SHIFU'S POV

I witnessed from the corner, where I was with wounded Po, his fathers and the rest of the pandas, much to my shock and anger Monkey being defeated by the Gorilla warrior and mantis getting brutally stamped under of the gorilla's foot and brutally squeezing him between of his foot and the Training Hall's floor.

And there was not even all...

We all looked up at the gorilla, who was standing right above of us and looking down at us with the menacing look in his faces.

The gorilla then took into his massive hands the large twin-bladed glaive-spear, twirled it in his hands for a second, before he raised it above of his head to deliver the killing swung upon of all of us in the corner.

I heard little Lei Lei's screaming as the Gorilla prepared for the killing blow...

...and I saw Tigress reacting to Lei Lei's scream with the shocked and for Lei Lei's life fearing look in her eyes, and her another reaction to it by attempting to come to the rescue the little panda and the rest of us from the Gorilla, until her way was blocked by the new inside of the Hall swarming fresh pack of attacking wolves.

As there was no help coming for Pandas and Po...

"NO!" I exclaimed in rage, as I leaped up from the corned and towards the gorilla, as he was about to execute his killing blow upon the pandas.

I made a quick somersault in the air and, after that, I delivered the rapid series of the fierce kicks to the surprised gorilla's face, before his glaive-spear's blade even touched Mr. Ping and the pandas, and my final hard kick was enough to sent the gorilla to fall over on his own wolf soldiers, trapping them beneath of the dizzy gorilla's weight and freeing Mantis at the same time.

MONKEY'S POV

After I managed to recover even a little bit from the gorilla's punch...

...I quickly picked up from the floor my staff and climbed on the Jade Tortoise to rejoin the fight against the gorilla to avenge that nasty move from that fat gorilla...

...only to witness Master Shifu handling the villain with ease and taking down at the same time the front troops of the next attack wave of the wolves.

I suddenly spotted mantis on the ground, and I quickly jumped off from above of the Jade Tortoise and landed next to him... where I picked heavily panting fellow bug warrior up from the small pit, probably created by the gorilla villains massive fists while smashing my bestie against the floor, into my hands.

And then, master Shifu turned to me and Mantis.

"MONKEY, MANTIS! I'LL HOLD THEM OFF! YOU TWO, WATCH OVER THE PANDAS IN THE CORNER AND MAKE SURE THAT NONE OF THESE DISHONORABLE AND UNWELCOME DESECRATORS GETS THEIR FILTHY PAWS ON THEM!" Shifu sternly ordered us, before he rushed towards the packs of wolves and joined to Tigress to fight over the doors of the Training Hall.

I briefly looked at master Shifu fighting against the wolves with the Great Master Oogway's staff and with his regular training staff, and his skills and moves were quite alike like mine, with the only error that master Shifu happened to be roughly over ten times faster and skillful than me, and with his own skills and moves and managed to defeat fifty wolves within seconds in the combat... leaving the wolves without the chances to go counter-attack or even the chance to deliver the strike at him.

I quickly obeyed master Shifu's orders and jumped into the corner among of the pandas... after I placed Mantis to rest on Po's belly.

"All right! Everyone of you! There's no reason to panic! Everything is under control!" I said to the scared pandas, in order to keep them as calm as possible, even though I knew clearly that they were unable to stay calm in middle of this bloodbath.

"Think about something else than this! Something more nicer than this! Don't pay the attention to what is happening behind of the Jade Tortoise!" I heard Mantis saying to the pandas trying to keep them calm as well as I did.

The pandas nodded, trying to follow our advises the best they could.

Suddenly, we heard Po groaning in pain as he seemingly was about to wake from his short-lasted coma due to his injuries.

"Po?" I said as I moved next to Li Shan.

Also Mr. Ping noticed this.

"OH, SON! ARE YOU ALRIGHT?! WHERE HURTS A MORE?! CAN YOU STILL HEAR US?!" The goose father of Po's asked with deeply concerned tone, or more likely exclaimed and yet even louder which he shouldn't do, from Po as Po slowly woke up from his short-lasted coma.

All three of us, me, Mantis and Li Shan... even the pandas... loudly hyssed at the overly concerned goose, referring him to keep quiet and not draw unnecessary attention of their unwelcome guests at them in the cover.

Mr. Ping nodded at us, scolding himself for shouting so loud in middle of the battle.

And then, we all four turned back to Po.

"Buddy? Are you okay?" I asked from him as he opened his eyes.

"Staff... m-my staff... w-where... is-is my... ?" Po asked from us weakly, probably fully aware of what was happening around of us, as he tried to get up to sit, but was unsuccessful and fell immediately back on his back to the floor.

However, I soon realized that Po was asking for his staff, his birthday present from Shifu and the Five, which however I couldn't see anywhere.

"I'm afraid, Po, that your staff is lost." Mantis said, expressing his condolences to Po for him losing staff.

"You better to thank your luck that you're still with us and not lost as your staff, son." Li Shan said, a bit scolding tone, to Po.

"Just take it easy, buddy. We're going to get you out of here! ALL OF YOU!" I said to Po, before I turned and positioned myself to Jade Tortoise's right side on the guard, and I referred Mantis to do the same in the left side of the Jade Tortoise.

MASTER SHIFU'S POV.

I viewed the Training Hall for a moment.

At first my attention was locked in Viper and Crane, who were fending off the invaders in the northern side of the Training Hall.

Viper swiftly dodged the wolves maces', spear heads' and their swords blades strikes while slithering in between of their legs, during of which Viper either coiled her tail around of one or both the wolves legs and pulled them off beneath or them, or then she swung with the lateral swing of her tail their legs off beneath of them, taking them down one by one.

Viper also faced bravely three wolves at the same time, giving the stone-hard strikes with her whip-like tail to the wolves toes or wrists, making them to yelp and howl in pain and forcing them to drop their weapons, before Viper finished them off one by one with the direct strike to the wolves stomachs.

And Crane, Crane rather attacked the wolves rather than retreated away from them, and swung his fan-like wing blades laterally, rapidly and repeatedly towards the wolves, knocking off the swords and daggers off their paws or slicing their blades or the handles of their spears in half, leaving them weaponless against them.

Crane was once attacked from above by seven wolves, who were all attacking from every corners, with their a naginata-spears lifted above of their heads, which the wolves were spinning rapidly and prepared to land their long and wide and from their tips slightly backwards curving blades onto him to kill him.

Crane, however, performed the brief barrel roll before he bent his legs down a little and lifted his wing blades above of his own head and blocked the naginata-spears blades before they could fatally fall onto him. There was heard the loud metallic sound from the hard impact between of the metals striking against each others.

And once the wolves had landed onto their feet to the ground around of Crane, Crane then straightened his legs and spread his wings around, forcing the wolves to pull their weapons back.

Crane then performed the barrel roll and disarmed the wolves with a couple swift and hard swings of both of his wings to his front- and backside,slicing the upper and lower parts of the wolves naginata-spears off and leaving the middle part in their paws.

And once the wolves were disarmed, Crane halted his barrel roll and bounced up in the air in middle of the wolves and performed a couple times of "leaping split-kick" technique and kicked with his talons two wolves aside to the opposite sides with each two, leaving only three left.

Crane then performed another barrel roll, but not until lifting his left leg up and remaining to balance on his upright right leg while performing his barrel roll.

And with that, Crane grabbed with his left leg's talons from the lone wolf and pulled him off the ground, swinging him around of himself along with his rolling pace and tossed him to fly against two others, knocking the entire trio of the wolves out cold and over to the ground.

However, when my view turned to Tigress, I saw that she was in trouble already.

She was standing all alone defending the southern side of the Training Hall, and there was pouring more and more of wolves from the holes in the walls, ceiling and from the open doorway, and they were all attacking Tigress at once, making it one hundred-on-one situation.

Even four of the wolves appeared to be too much for the Tigress, as they repeatedly swung their swords and spears towards her by force of strength and overwhelming numbers, forcing Tigress to back off step by step.

And then, they send more gorillas to attack me, that I was forced to retreat to the top of the upside down turned Jade Tortoise, to where the gorillas also leaped, surrounding me in middle of their ring of the muscles.

They tried to crush me under of their massive fists or punch me into the face with their heavy attacks with their fists all together from all four directions.

But, with all my senses alert and my best skills put into this, I twirled both the Great Master Oogway's staff and my regular bamboo-staff (which I used usually in the training moment and back then when I trained Po to the Dragon Warrior after Oogway's passing) in both my hands with the rapid speed and I twirled the both staffs all around of my body while turning alternately to each direction.

I managed to hit with both of my staff to the gorilla's fingers and wrists, blocking their attacks with the sharp strikes and causing them to pull their fists, which took the impact, back and rubbed their hands out of pain itching impact points for a while before they attacked me again.

However, I already had enough of this...

...and with the very quick and for them unexpected triple-move, I stroke with the end of my training staff at least three gorilla's faces and hit them to between of their eyes, causing them to roar in pain as they placed their hands over of their faces to press from the sore places on their faces.

I took this as an opportunity and executed the quick, powerful and hard swing in the level of their faces with my staff's end and knocked them all out... exception wit hone right behind of me.

That one tried to attack me from behind by grabbing me with his massive paws, but when his head and faces was close of my own head's level..

...I swung my left hand squeezed into the fist to backwards and punched the gorilla into the face. And my backward punch was powerful enough to sent the bigger, muscular and heavier gorilla roughly backwards and fall over to the wolves.

While continually incoming wolves eventually forced Tigress to switch the post away from the doorway, they sent inside of the Training Hall about over four dozen of wolf archers with their longbows and long arrows, which they all aimed towards me, tightened their weapons strings and fired all together or ten by ten at a time.

"MASTER!" I heard Tigress calling me with the warning cry, as I turned around and saw the arrows as well.

This wasn't, of course, the first time when we have training with the flying arrows I call "the Ordeal of the One Hundred Arrows."

And I have already done such of movement... twice.

So I had to do it one more time... but this time differently.

While the first one and half dozen of arrows flew pass of me, I knocked the another dozen arrows out of their fly or turned them away from me with my fast and skilled handicraft with bare hands as they were about to hit me...

...during of which, I'm sure that I heard the deep and humming word of "Wow" coming from the pandas bellow me as they witnessed my skills with the arrow volley...

...before I grabbed to my training staff and started to spin it with both my hands in front of me and I alternately changed its position before me as I started to catch with my staff's both ends the remaining arrows from the air...

...until all over two dozen arrows were pierced through of my training staff, much to the stunned wolf archers shock.

And before they had time to react, I made four quick turning around and with each one of them I swung my arrow-filled staff towards the wolf archers and sent with each one of them six arrows to fly back towards the wolves... each one of the arrows directed straight to the ones whom had shot them on me... which lethally pierced each wolf archers bodies or necks, after which they all fell motionless to the floor of the Training Hall, leaving either sixty or seventy of them both alive and fearfully shocked.

I was too a bit shocked about that what I just did, but I had no time to deal with it... especially when more wolves, both archers and swordsmen, were incoming to inside through of the smashed doors of the Training Hall, from the holes in the walls and from the hole in the ceiling.

We needed to get out of here and get to the Jade Palace, where I believed we can hold them off long enough for Zeng and imperial guards to arrive.

"ENOUGH!" I shouted angrily.

"TIGRESS, VIPER, CRANE! I NEED YOU THREE TO COVER AREA!" I ordered Tigress, Viper and Crane.

And then, I turned back to Monkey and Mantis with Po's fathers and the rest of the pandas.

"MONKEY AND MANTIS! HELP YOU TWO PO'S FATHERS TO GET PO AND THE REST OF THE PANDAS OUT OF THE TRAINING HALL AND YARD... AND GET TO THE JADE PALACE THROUGH OF THE GARDEN OF THE MASTERS!" I ordered, before I rejoined to the fight.

TIGRESS POV

One line of the fresh wolves attacked me... too old-fashioned strategy to me.

But I was more concerned about the main doors of the Training Hall, which were swarmed by the wolves and we needed to get Po and the pandas out of here.

"CRANE! THE DOOR! GET READY!" I ordered, Crane and I launched my attack against the wolves.

I knocked at first two wolves out, punching at first with my left fist one wolf on the right side of his faces and then lifting my right leg up and swing it into the lateral kick to the next wolf's left side, sending him to towards one of the holes in the wall in the Training Hall's doors west side...

...and by the luck, the wolf landed upon the four fresh wolves, whom were about to burst in through the hole, knocking them backwards and piling all five in front of the hole in outside of the wall.

Then I turned to the third wolf, who leaped in from the hole in the ceiling, with his sword lifted up before he pulled it down towards me as he was about to land on his feet to the ground. I blocked his attack by lifting my swords in X-position above of my head and on the way of his sword, just in the middle of his blade. And after which, I lifted my left leg up and extended it forward into the kick to the wolf's stomach, kicking him against the wall, to which hitting his own head knocked him out...

...then, I turned around, and I narrowly bowed down out of the way of the next wolf's naginata-spear lateral swing that could have cause the bad slash into my back, after which I lifted my right leg to the level of the wolf's head, kicking him into his face and sending him to the dizzy state, while holding his spear in the lateral position in his paws...

...and after that, as there was two more wolves incoming from behind of the wolf I just kicked to dizzy, I performed the Tahlia Leap technique. And as I performed my backward somersault to perform an offensive attack, I kicked the middle one's naginata-spear off his paws and it flew - still in lateral position straight upwards and hit the next two wolves and the middle one's chins, sending their heads to fly slightly backwards.

And after I landed back on my feet to the ground, and after the spear landed back to the middle one's paws - still in the lateral position - I took to the opportunity and lifted my right leg up, twisted my right hip, recoiled and extended my leg into the direct kick to the spear's handle. My kick to the spear's handle send all three of them over to the ground.

Then I turned around again and hit with my right arm across the next wolf's stomach, causing him to grunt strongly and loudly, before the effect of the impact from my arm forced him to bow his head down, until I finished the wolf off with the kick with my left knee to his faces.

And while I directed my attention to through of the open doorway into the hall storming wolves and launched myself towards them to attack, the wolf archers, whom had used my focus on the several wolves as they advantage and prepared themselves to launch another volley towards me, fired the volley towards me.

I've found myself under of the volley of the arrows before, back in our escape from Lord Shen's bombarded and collapsing tower in the form of his wolf-army's fire arrows and all the time during of the training sessions in the Training Hall, so this wasn't new to me.

I often leaped and bounced and performed the barrel rolls and both front and backwards somersaults more often in middle of the volley fired upon of me...

...narrowly dodged many of the arrows that flew too close of me, which was somewhat difficult, because these weren't fire arrows and they were night black, thus easily blending them into the night's darkness and making them invisible...

...but thanks to my to the high level increased instincts, I survived so far after four leaps and several barrel rolls and somersaults...

...during of which I used my arms and legs to direct several from too close flying arrows to the another directing and away from me...

...though I mostly snapped with my katanas the arrows one by one in half, destroying them.

However, I didn't manage to block or re-direct all arrows, 'cause some of them managed to pass my guard and left several small but slightly stinging superficial scratches to my arms, shoulders and to my sides one by one.

And eventually, after I had managed to get pass of their arrows and I had managed to reach too close of the archers, I turned one more time around and pulled both of my paws backwards.

And then, I performed the swift and devastating double-punch-strike technique by extending my paws at the same time forward and towards from Shifu's counter-attack survived wolf archers in front of me.

And with my attack, I knocked more than half of the wolf archers at the same time onto their own through of the doorway into the hall storming pack members, causing them to fall into the pile of knocked over wolf solders.

"CRANE, NOW!" I ordered.

CRANE'S POV

After I heard Tigress order to act, I quickly took two attackers down by dragging them down with my legs before I abandoned my fight with the rest of the attacking wolves - of which Viper took care with her whip-like kicks and attacks with his tail - and I took off to the air space of the Training Hall.

I first took the height to have speed for to execute my move...

...before I eventually lunged forward in the air and towards the doorway of the Training Hall with the high speed.

I also prepared my wings for the well-known and quite effective tactic of mine.

And then, I eventually stopped in front of the pile of wolves and incoming fresh attackers.

"WINGS OF STORM WIND!" I cried, before I swung my wings and launched the a powerful twirling gust of wind at the pile and pack of wolves.

And my technique proved to be really effective, as the twirling gust of wind I created tossed the entire pack out of the Hall and flying all around to the training Yard, knocking the entire pack unconscious.

"OKAY! THE WAY IS ALMOST CLEAR! MONKEY! MANTIS! YOU CAN TAKE PO AND THE PANDAS OUT OF HERE!" I called to Monkey and Mantis as I flied outside to hold off those wolves still incoming.

MANTIS' POV

Once Crane had done his job, I jumped over of the Jade Tortoise to have the pandas attention.

"ALRIGHT, EVERY PANDA, LISTEN UP! WE'RE GOING TO GET EVERY PANDA OUT OF HERE TO THE SAFETY! THERE'S NO NEED FOR THE PANIC! JUST FOLLOW ME AND MONKEY TO THE OUTSIDE AND KEEP MOVING WHILE WE HOLD THEM OFF AND DON'T STOP 'TILL WE TELL YOU TO. IS THAT CLEAR?"

The pandas, all of them, simply nodded at me out of the understatement.

"GOOD! VERY WELL THEN, EVERYBODY FOLLOW THE MONKEY" I ordered.

And then, I saw from the corner of my eye that Viper was seemingly a bit trouble, because she was dealing with over two dozen wolves with the swords and maces. And although the fact that she had no limbs did not usually bother her, she had troubles to deal with four wolves who attacker all at the same time.

And I had to help her.

So, I turned to Monkey.

"MONKEY! I NEED TO HELP VIPER OUT THERE! THESE PANDAS ARE NOW IN YOUR RESPONSIBILITY! TAKE THEM OUT OF HERE AND QUICK!" I ordered, before I leaped off the Jade Tortoise and joined to Viper's side.

And as I did back in the doors of the Training Hall, I proceeded by slicing the wolves blades into pieces and taking their legs off from under of them with the quick swings with my legs, tripping them one by one before anyone of them had time to reach, realize my presence among of their legs and prepare for the counter attack.

 **To be continued...**

 **I hoped you enjoyed the reading of this chapter.**


	19. 19: Wolf invasion Part 3

********CHAPTER 19:******** ** ** ** ** ** **WOLF INVASION PART 3.************

 **ENJOY THE READING!**

MONKEY'S POV

I quickly picked up little Bao into my hands as Grandma Panda took little Lei Lei into her paws.

And once I had made sure than Li Shan and Mr. Ping had got Po, with the help of Hugger Panda, who had came to Li Shan's aid by lifting Po's right arm over his shoulder and readied himself to carry Po out of here with Li Shan and Mr. Ping...

...it was time for us to get out of here.

"ALRIGHT! IF EVERYBODY IS IN, FOLLOW ME!" I ordered as I started to lead the pandas out of the Training Hall to the pouring rain

Tigress and master Shifu went through of the smashed doorway out to nearly from the pouring rain flooding Training Yard to aid Crane...

...who was quite well holding his own against the invaders, taking/dragging the wolves down one by one by force after gaining the upper hand (or wing) over the wolves, and creating with his wings the gust of winds to knock over his enemies when he got surrounded by them.

Crane also slashed with his wing blades the wolves long-handled weapons handles and the swords blades in pieces, knocked with the strong swings the swords and daggers off the wolves paws and cut off the spear heads from the wolves spears, thus disarming them before he took them down with his own Kung Fu style's crane kicks with his talons.

Once surrounded and a quite unable to cause the gusts of wind with his wings, Crane grabbed with his talons from two wolves and started to perform the lateral or straight barrel rolls in the air, swinging the wolves in his talons grips around of himself and striking them against their fellow wolves, knocking over a lot of them before Crane eventually swung them one by one around of himself and then tossed the wolves against their fellow wolves, knocking them over.

And because the yard was full of the wolves, master Shifu lunged at the thickest parts of their pack and started to make the quick spinning movement with Oogway's staff as he rushed through of the pack, smacking with the end of the staff the wolves to the tops of their heads, wrists, shoulders, faces, and chests... knocking them out.

Tigress also lunged to Crane's aid and engaged the wolves to the sword fight with her.

With her natural strength and speed, Tigress was able to slice with her blades the wolves own swords' blades in half, or knock the swords off their paws, and slice their long-handled weapon's handles in the pieces, leaving only left the mere areas of the handles from which the wolves they were holding... and with her paws full due to her swords, Tigress used mostly her highly skilled kicking-movements, like mostly her straight or lateral arc kicks, hooked or direct kicks or double-kicks.

Tigress also performed often her own technique called Tahlia Leap by somersaulting backwards and kicking with her legs the wolf attackers to beneath of their chins, sending them to fly in the arch away from her.

Some of the wolves attacked Tigress from behind, but Tigress was able to turn around enough to make the backward somersault along the ground and placing her legs against the wolves chests before kicking them off her, sending them to fly either against their fellow wolves or against the Training Yard's wall's inner side.

Tigress also made the cool movement, as Po would say so if he could right now, when she "defied gravity" by leaping herself to the level of the wolves chests and heads and ran along of the lines of the dozen wolves, delivering the series of kicks to the wolves chests and faces, before bouncing off from the last one, performing the quick somersault in the air and delivering the double kick against the chests of two from the opposite sides attacking wolves, knocking them off their feet and sending them over to the ground.

And Viper and Mantis followed us from behind, holding off the wolves who were still incoming through of the holes in the overrun Training Hall's walls and from the hole in the Hall's ceiling.

I felt this a bit unfair, because all the others were battling against the invaders and I was herding the pandas - and helping Po's fathers to get wounded Po - out of the Training Hall and Yard while the others hold them back.

However, even from aside watched, it looked that it was nearly hundred against one, which was soon replaced with another fresh hundred wolves... even though this wasn't the first time we have fought against the armies of the bad guys, thanks to several of our enemies like mysteriously resurrected Lord Shen and Temutai.

But because of this, some wolves were able to pass Shifu and the others and they charged towards me and the pandas with their blades raised over of their heads to ready for the lethal strike.

However, Bao unexpectedly struggled himself free from my arms and charged towards the wolves.

"BAO! WHAT ARE YOU DOING! COME BACK!" I cried after Bao, as he charged at the wolves.

The wolves suddenly stopped after seeing the little panda running towards of them, and they would probably have burst into laugh after realizing that they were engaged into the battle against the young but very energetic and hyperactive panda cub.

However, I soon found out that the wolves indeed underestimated this little panda, who happened to be the student of the Dragon Warrior...

...because after Bao reached to them, the little panda leaped into the air and made the quick backward somersault and kicked two of the wolves to under of their chins, knocking them out, before little panda rolled around in the air, executing the kick across the third wolf's face before the little panda eventually punched the wolf into his faces, knocking him out.

And that was not all this little panda seemed to be capable of.

"EAT MY FEET!" Little Bao cried out as more wolves approached him.

The little panda suddenly nearly tripped the next attacking wolf with the swing of his leg, which was aimed to the wolf's legs. But even though Bao missed the wolf's legs, the little panda however managed to caught the wolf off guard and make him to fall on his knees... before the little panda finished him off with the kick in middle of the wolf's face.

The little panda then dodged the next attacking wolf's straight strike with the sword, which hit to the very same spot in the ground where Bao was standing, after which Bao ran along the blade's dull side and along of the wolf's body and made the barrel roll in the air as he bounced from the wolf's blade towards his faces and delivered with his right leg the lateral arch kick to the the wolf's right cheek, knocking it out.

Bao then landed on the toes of the next wolf, causing him to yelp in pain, before Bao jumped upwards and stretched his another leg to upwards, kicking this wolf as well to under of his chin, before he executed the finishing move by rolling in the air and kicking the wolf to the right side of his face, knocking the wolf both out and aside.

Bao was then attacked by seven wolves from every corner, but Bao dodged the first one's attack by jumping over him, before he delivered the strong kick to the wolf's back and sent the wolf to fly over his two fellow wolves, knocking them aside, and dealt with the rest of the attacking wolves by executing two double-kicks at the same time, kicking all four wolves into their faces and knocking them out.

Little panda has indeed learned much from Po and learned them well.

Shifu, me and rest of the Five and pandas were quite impressed of Bao's courage, despite his a small size and young age, even in before of those ones who had nearly caused the extinction of the entire species of pandas by the order of Lord Shen.

And then, the Hugger Panda had left Po to Li Shan's and Mr. Ping's care and charged towards the wolves, though laughing heartily and his paws spread, and he poured dozen of the wolves inside of his arms and squeezed his arms around of the wolves into the squeezing bear hug.

"I don't know who you guys are neither." The panda laughed as he squeezed the wolves many times over, before he released the fainted wolves and pouried another dozen of wolves into the bear hug.

"Ya ready?" I heard one of Po's cousins to say behind of me.

"Go time!"

I saw then Dim and Sum as well attacking the wolves. But as they passed me, I saw that both of them had grabbed from each others wrists before one of them swung each others around before they started to toss each others towards over the Training Yard's bordering wall.

Both of Po's cousins fend off dozens of over the walls jumping wolves with their own different styles.

Dim, after being tossed into the air by Sum, ran in the air using over the wall lunging wolves heads as his foothold and knocking them out one by one, before he bounced from their heads towards his brother...

...but instead of tossing him in the air, Dim and Sum both together executed Po's and Tigress well-know teamwork technique the Double Death Strike, swinging each other around like the living clubs and delivering the series of kicks and double-kicks, knocking off the multiple groups of enemies at a time.

And after that, Dim tossed Sum into the air towards another over the air leaping group of the wolves, to which Sum executed Po's own technique the _Feet of Fury_ and took out the entire group within seconds, before he was helped back on his feet to the ground by Crane.

I witnessed this in stun... Po really had success to train his kind the warriors like him.

"Let's dance... with the Nunchaku Chick!" I heard behind of me, before I noticed Mei Mei passing me, twirling fiercely her nunchucks in her paws as she rushed to alongside of Tigress to give her aid, as she was about to get overwhelmed by the huge pack of the wolves leaping over the wall of the Training Yard

We all knew that Mei Meiu was eager ribbon dancer, who used most of her time by dancing with her ribbon, until Po taught her the martial arts of Kung Fu with the nunchucks, with whom Mei Mei became like ten Kung Fu warriors with twenty nunchucks...

...and using her increased and admixture dance, reflexes, speed and Kung Fu skills with her skills with nunchucks, even the pack of hundred wolves - against of such of pack Tigress was fiercely though desperately fighting at the moment - was unable to do any single move for the counter-attack against Mei Mei when the panda dove into their pack.

I heard multiple whacking sound from Mei Mei's nunchucks loose ends impacts against the wolves heads as well as the numerous wolves yelps in pain after every impact, and within six-eight seconds there were twenty-eight wolves flying all around of the Training Yard and against of each others or the Training Yard's wall's inner side from their pack as a result for the strong impacts of Mei Mei's nunchucks.

I gotta admit it for one more time, no enemy was able to stand against her and her nunchucks skills

She and Tigress even made the good team of due... like Po and Tigress usually do.

And when Tigress and Mei Mei executed in their turn the Double-Death-Strike technique on the next pack of wolves, still incoming and strangely with their fighting skill highly leveled wolves were ten times powerless against the ten times doubled skills of Tigress swordsmanship and tiger style of Kung Fu and Mei Mei's nunchucks and dance skills, leaving to that corner area of the yard the huge pile of the wolves knocked out.

Some of the wolves, however, were able to pass the others and they attacked to Grandma Panda and little Lei Lei.

However...

"Bad mutt!" Grandma Panda said as she hit with her walking stick the first wolf to his head, knocking him out with one swing.

"Bad mutt!" Grandma Panda said as she kicked with her leg between the legs of the second wolf, making him to yelp in pain, fall slowly on his knees and then on his faces to the ground neck to her.

"Bad mutt!" Grandma Panda said as she stroke with her walking stick the next wolf's both legs toes, making him to yelp in pain, before Grandma Panda finished him off with the strike kick to upwards to the wolf's chin.

"Bad mutt!" Grandma Panda said as she did the three hard strikes with her walking stick to the head of fourth wolf - one of which knocked the teeth off his mouth - before the wolf fell to the ground.

I was quite stunned that the Grandma Panda was able for that despite her high age and while holding little Lei Lei in her arms with the walking stick as her only weapon.

But as more wolves started to come...

...and because they were in my responsibility, I immediately grabbed to my Three-Section-Staff and jumped between of the wolves and the pandas.

Spinning my staff from its middle section rapidly around in above of my head, I swung my staff's rapidly along with the middle section spinning sections towards several incoming wolves, knocking with the several hooked or lateral swings three of them out cold one by one, another three wolves I knocked out cold and off their feet with the one swing and I tripped two last one with the swung aimed at the levels of the wolf's legs and taking them off from beneath of him, sending the wolf to land on his nose to the ground...

...before I eventually combined the sections into one straight staff before I stroke and sunk one of its blunt ends to the ground. Then I threw myself to swung with the rapid pace around of the straightly standing staff, while carrying out the series of foot-fist-punches to the fresh attacking line of over dozen wolves...

...before, upon of next attacking wolf approaching me, I swung myself around of my staff for couple times more...

...and during of my second round I bent the staff to downwards with my weight...

...until I eventually launched myself into the air and out of the attacking wolf's sword's strike...

...then I temporarily flew in arch through the air, performed a couple of somersaults in the air, before I was about to land towards a couple of wolves, whom were about to attack the pandas.

And once I was about to land in front of them, I executed swiftly the double-foot-fist-kick to the wolves chests, knocking them over to the ground.

"LI SHAN, MR. PING... AND GRANDMA PANDA! TAKE PO AND LEI LEI OUT OF HERE! WE GOT YOUR BACK" I ordered as I joined the fight...

...in alongside of Mantis and Viper against those ones who attacked fro inside of the Training Hall.

LI SHAN'S POV

Monkey did not need to tell me twice what to do.

"Grandma! Stay close to us! We gotta get out of here!" I ordered.

"And Ping! Give me a hand! We gotta get Po out of here!" I said, as I re-lifted Po's hand over of my shoulders.

"You don't need to tell me twice! The sooner we get out of here, the better! This is definitely not the place for the defenseless goose father like me!" Mr. Ping said with the hardly controlled panic as he, instead of lifting Po's hand over of his shoulder, which he was barely even capable due to being the goose, he helped me to keep Po up.

Even Lei Lei and Grandma Panda joined us to help to keep Po upright and prevent him from falling over to the ground.

It was really hard to even get to the Training Hall's gate, due to this heavy rain pulling us down and bothering our eyes greatly.

And the ground of the yard turned into red from the blood bleeding from my son's wounds.

"Dads... I-I... can wa-walk... my-myself." Po suddenly said and tried to stand up, until he grunted in pain and was about to fall over to the ground again, until I grabbed from him and lifted him to upright position again.

"What are you talking about son, you can barely even stay awake! Fight it! Try to stay awake 'till we get to the hospital." Mr. Ping said with the highly concerned tone.

"Mr. Ping is right, son! You must lean on me!" I ordered my son.

However, I couldn't believe my ears after what I heard coming out from my son's mouth.

"Fa-fathers... you-you must... le-leave me be-behind! You... you guys have to... have to get o-out of-of here... now! And... ta-take the pandas out-out of... here... too! Shen... has... has returned... he-he's coming for... for us! For-for me! For-for pandas! He... he means... means to kill... to ki-kill me... to-to kill you... to kill all... all pandas here! You... you go-gotta... take them with... with you a-and... leave when you... you st-still can! Ex-except me! My-my place is... is with S-Shifu and... and with Fi-five! Besides... this-this is... our-our unfinished fi-fight with... with them! This... this isn't... your... your or the pandas... fi-fight! It-it's ours... a-and ours only!" Po said, while trying to stay awake the best he could.

I was really shocked after finding out that my son had still the fighting spirit... even after getting badly beaten by those barbarians!

And Mr. Ping was shocked as well.

"Don't you dare to say something like that, son! There's no way I'm gonna let you go just like that ever again! Besides, I'm saying to you, son that this..." Mr. Ping scolded.

"...IS OUR UNFINISHED FIGHT AS WELL AS YOURS!" I continued for Mr. Ping resolutely and with reference to the pandas that were already joined to the fight with Shifu and the rest of the Five, though I wasn't sure that was Mr. Ping gonna say the same.

"Son, listen! We're all family and we're standing against our common enemy as a big family! And no matter what happens, I could never run away without you, son!

"I lost you once, son. And no matter what happens, I'm not gonna lose you again... EVER AGAIN!" I added, as I lifted Po's arm better over my shoulder and made him to lean on me... and I also pulled Grandma and Lei Lei to hold from Po from front side of him, so that they're sheltered by me from these barbarians.

"LETS GO!" I shouted and we started to head towards the Training Yard's doors.

As I peeked over my shoulder, I saw that one of the wolves with two swords was charging at me... and raising his swords over his head to slash me with them to my unprotected back.

However, before the wolf managed to execute his killing blow, I saw how master Monkey behind of the wolf swung master Viper like the whip towards at me charging wolf, and Viper managed to coil her tail around of the wolf's wrist and pulled him back... thus causing him to fall over on his back to the ground and drop his swords... saving our lives.

"SORRY, VIPER!" I heard Monkey to shout, as I yet for a moment peeked over my shoulder and I saw that Monkey started to swung Viper all around and the wolf with her towards the incoming lines of the wolves... knocking them over like practice dummies...

...before Viper released the wolf out of her coils and tossed him over other attacking wolves, knocking them down.

We then kept going towards the doors.

But as soon as we reached to them ans I opened the doors to outside of the yeard... I let out the gasp in shock and surprise!

As well as Mr. Ping loud and shocked goose's caw and Lei Lei started to scream.

What we saw immediately after we opened the doors...

...was a two dozens of wolves waiting for us in the outside of the doors, with their eyes glowing blood-red, evilly grinning at us and all were holding the flame- or serpentine-shaped swords and spears in their paws, as they threateningly started to approach us and enter inside to the Training Yard.

"BACK! BACK!" I ordered, as we quickly backed off from the sadistically at us growling barbarians, who were about to enter through of the gates to the Training Yard.

Po also noticed this.

"OH NO, YOU DON'T!" He let out, before he kicked the door to the wolves noses, and kicking the door to close.

MONKEY'S POV

I was about to be attacked by two - no, five - wolves, two of which were standing in both of my sides, another two were slowly approaching me from the front side of me and the third one was a small distance away in my right side.

All four of them were slowly circling around of me, while slowly lifting up their single swords with the serpentine- or the flame-shaped blades to the same level or behind of their heads, waiting for the right moment to strike me to death with their blades.

I too readied myself, by leaning onto my hooked right leg and straightening my left one to the left, and swinging my three-section-staff over of my left shoulder with my right hand and grabbed from its another loose end from beneath of my right armpit with my left hand, and remained to wait in still...

...eyeing the wolves as they circled around of me, waiting for them to make their move at first, and waiting for a good opportunity to make my counter-attack on them.

It lasted for the four-five seconds, until...

The wolves in my each sides suddenly launched themselves towards me to attack!

One of them in my left and partially behind of my back and left shoulder pulled his sword from behind of his head into the lateral swings, which was aimed downwards towards my waist to cut me in half from there, while the another one in my right and partially in front of me pulled his own sword immediately downwards before starting to lift his sword's blade to upwards, aiming his blade during of his arch-shaped swing to the bases of my legs with the intention to gribble me by cutting off my legs.

However, when their blades were about to touch my skin, I quickly bounced upwards into the air and out of the way of their blades, surprising apparently the arrogant and over-confident wolves.

And during of which, I could feel in my toes the cold gust of wind that followed the blades swings beneath of my legs.

I used the wolves surprised status as my advantages and performed the barrel roll to my left, during of which I directed my right hooked kick towards the first wolf, who was a moment ago standing behind of my left shoulder before my barrel roll, and extended it to the hook kick straight to the wolf's faces, knocking him immediately out cold and over to the ground on his back.

Then I released my right arm's grip from my three-section-staff's loose end and swung it around of me towards the next wolf, who was originally standing in front of me and my right side and had foolishly turned his back on me during of his attack with the sword, swinging my three-section-staff's loose end against the wolf's knuckles around of his weapon's handle, making the wolf to yelp and howl in pain and drop his weapon from his paws top hold his sore knuckles...

...until I finished him off with the direct kick to his back, sending him on his stomach over to the ground.

And as I landed back to the ground, I was about to be attacked by two wolves, who had both lifted their swords above of their heads and were about to land their blades fatally on me with the straight strikes.

However, before they could do it, I sensed that there was the last one incoming fast from behind of me...

...so I swiftly turned my back to my next opponents, which is a very foolish act from the warrior, around to face the last one of the wolves instead of those two behind of me, and I swung my three-section-staff's loose end in arch from down to upwards to make my my weapon to spin rapidly in front of me.

Lucky for me that I did so, because my staff's rapidly spinning loose end had managed to wrap itself around of the incoming wolf's wrist, surprising the wolf so badly that it had blocked the wolf's attempt to sink his flame-shaped daggers into my back from behind like to the wall.

And once I grabbed from the another loose end of my staff, I rolled myself around and pulled the wolf along with me, swinging the wolf swiftly and hard against its colleagues, knocking and sending them both on their backs over to the ground...

...and at the end of the same strike, I released the wolf's paws from my around of their wrists wrapped chains of my three-section-staff, sending him to fly upside down and landing against the sixth incoming wolf, knocking them both out.

And finally, when I turned around to check out that Po's fathers, Grandma Panda, Lei Lei and Po had reahed out of the Yard, I was shocked after I found out that the Training Yard's gate was overrun by the wolves emerging from the doorway to the Yard.

Po's fathers, Po and the pandas were pinned themselves against the Yard's wall, behind of to the Yard opening doors to avoid to get discovered and cornered by the wolves as they emerged inside to the Yard.

"HEY! NO DOGS TO INSIDE! MANTIS! WITH ME!" I humorously but still dead seriously shouted at the wolves, as I quickly lunged towards the wolves, making somersaults by jumping on my hands and then jumping back on my legs and I kept doing that 'till to the wolves.

And while doing this, I used my legs to make the same _Mastering of Chi_ technique Po taught to us to fill my leg-fists with the Chi's golden glowing energy for my attack to defend Po's fathers and the pandas.

And while I prepared myself, Mantis charged at first at the wolves and sliced with his claws their swords blades and the spears handles in pieces to ensure their inability to make their counter-attack with them against me.

"YOU LIKE THE FISTS, DON'T YOU?! THEN WHAT ABOUT THE FISTS FLAVORED WITH THE POWER OF CHI?!" I asked from the wolves, as I landed onto my hands before of them, performing quickly with my legs the ritual of the summoning the power of Chi, like Po had taught to all of us, and once my hind legs were glowing the golden glow, I delivered them the double-strike like double-kick with my Chi's power loaded leg-fists to the first wolf's stomach.

My attack with Chi's power loaded leg-fists at the wolves was followed by the golden shock wave, which worked perfectly, as it tossed the entire pack waiting outside of the doorway for a long distance away from the door, knocking them at the same time unconscious.

I quickly rushed outside of the doors Mantis on my shoulders to check out that was there any other wolves hiding in the outside.

And when the way seemed to be clear... I rushed back to inside of the Yard.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN... EVERY WARRIOR AND EVERY PANDA... TODAY'S EXERCISES HAS ENDED! I KINDLY ASK YOU TO LEAVE THE TRAINING YARD AND MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT PANIC TO THE JADE PALACE!" I gestured to the pandas and Po's fathers humorously but still dead-seriously.

Li Shan nodded to me thankfully before he turned to the Training Yard.

"EVERY PANDA, TO ME! WE'RE LEAVING HERE!" He shouted to the pandas.

From all the pandas, the first ones to retreat were my nephews, and after them little Bao and then Hugger Panda.

Only Mei Mei remained behind to fight with Tigress against these barbarians

VIPER'S POV

I swung my tail to the level of the three attacking wolves heads... knocking them them all out with one swung.

And after them, I turned to the doors of the Training Yard and I saw Monkey, Mantis and Crane exiting outside through the doors of the Training Yard, and were soon followed by Po's fathers carrying Po out and the rest of the pandas.

Master Shifu was also one of the few of us, alongside me, Tigress and Mei Mei who still stayed behind to fight the wolves.

"VIPER, MEI MEI AND TIGRESS! COME ON! WE RETREAT TO THE JADE PALACE!" Master Shifu ordered before he exited himself from the Training Yard through of the doors.

I nodded to master Shifu and I immediately turned to Mei Mei and Tigress!

"MEI MEI AND TIGRESS! WE'RE LEAVING OUT OF HERE!" I cried for them...

...even though I don't know did either of them heard me, because they seemed to be very busy in fighting the wolves.

TIGRESS POV

I heard well Viper's cries for us, even though I was unable to turn to answer her, due to the fact that I got my hands full of these wolves.

I continually dodged or blocked the wolves attacks with my bare fists or with my swords, before I answered to their attack with the series of kicks or hard punches.

"GO! WE HOLD THEM OFF!" Was all what I able to answer to Viper.

I saw from corner of my right eye that Viper - though a bit hesitating to leave me and Mei Mei, who still fought on my side, behind - eventually nodded and slithered after the others.

"MEI MEI! "FIGHT AND RETREAT" TECHNIQUE!" I ordered and I was answered to it with the node from her.

As we wolves started to overrun the Training Yard, me and Mei Mei started to retreat backwards to the Training Yard's doors...

...and to avoid to get surrounded by the wolves, who were approaching towards us in the pack of twenty-eight wolves with the swords.

They all started to attack both of us in the groups of four wolves, forcing us to engage them with the trained skills for four-on-one situations.

Though for me, four-on-one situation wasn't a new for me, especially after our past conflicts with Lord Shen's army, these wolves with their highly trained skills managed to make from both the situation and defeating them harder than I thought.

Even Mei Mei noticed this.

And even though out teamwork, admixture of my strength, my skills in swordsmanship and my tiger style of Kung Fu and Mei Mei's own panda style of Kung Fu her nunchucks and her dance skills, proved to be superior against the wolves... we both were mostly forced to defend ourselves and cover each others sides against their attacks rather than attack ourselves.

As our technique "Fight and Retreat" was supposed to go."

 **To be continued...**

 **I hoped you enjoyed the reading of this chapter.**


	20. 20: Garden of the Masters Part 1

**********CHAPTER 19: GARDEN OF THE MASTERS PART 1.**********

 **ENJOY THE READING!**

SHIFU'S POV

After we had managed to get outside of the Training Yard, we headed towards the restored Garden of the Masters, because it was the only way to get to the Jade palace and to the Stairs of the Thousand Steps.

However, even though the way through the Garden of the Masters and the Stairs to the porch of the Jade Palace seemed to be clear, I set all my senses to full alert.

And after I set my senses on, I sensed immediately that we were stalked from somewhere.

"Crane, Monkey, Viper and Mantis, scout ahead and be alert. The Garden of the Masters is our only way to the Jade Palace, and the Stairs of the Thousands Steps only exit from the Jade Mountain... and they know it too well." I warned.

"What about you, master?" Viper suddenly asked with the concern about their bad situation.

"I stay behind and watch over the pandas and Po. Even though they were all quite impressive with their skills in Training Yard, we don't exactly know that what Lord Shen still have for us. I sense that simple wolf attack was not all for what he is capable of. And that's why we need to be double alerted." I explained.

All four bowed down before me, before they went ahead to scout the Garden of the Masters and the stairs to the Jade Palace's balcony.

And all what I was able to do now, was hope that Oogway's spirit may keep our spirits alive 'till Zeng's and the reinforcements return.

VIPER'S POV.

While Tigress and Mei Mei were holding off from the Training Hall and over the Training Yard's wall charging wolves the best they could, me Monkey, Crane and Mantis led the pandas, Po's fathers and wounded Po towards the Garden of the Masters, while master Shifu kept an eye the surrounding area around of the pandas, being ready for anything hiding in the shadows of this stormy night.

The Garden of the Masters was our only way to get to the Jade palace.

And for the safety of the pandas, we had better hope that the wolves had not set the ambush among of the statues of the masters of Kung Fu...

...which, however, I was afraid of mostly.

The fighting against Lord Shen's wolves wasn't new to us, but we did not expect these wolves having at least five times more developed and apparently tens times more trained skills in the use of their weapons and in their out of nowhere appeared Kung Fu-like martial art skills unlike their predecessors back in the Gongmen City when we last were there.

And I already had experienced that, because one of them was nearly cut me in half with his sword, but I was able to evade being cut in half by my viper-style agility... but I got the small cut from the tip of the wolf's sword to my skin.

However, as we were about to cross the chasm between of bimodal Jade Mountain through the stone bridge with caution and vigilance, there was not any kind of ambush set upon us, but we still kept all our senses and instincts set into the full alarm and be ready to act if there's indeed ambush.

And once we were in the another side, we were about to set out foot to the garden between of the statues of Thundering Rhino and the master Komodo, until...

MONKEY'S POV

Once we stepped into between of the statues of Thundering Rhino and the master Komodo, I suddenly sensed something.

Something very sinister stalking us among of the statues.

Out of sight but concealed in shadows... stalking us like the nothing bad suspecting prey.

I then raised my fist upwards as the sign for my fellow comrades and panda students to hold their ground right in between of the statues of Thundering rhino and master Porcupines.

"What is it, Monkey?" Mantis, who had appeared undetected on my left shoulder, asked from me in the next of my ear.

"Yeah. What is it? Why did we stop?" I heard Li Shan asking from me that very same question.

However, I gestured both of them to be quiet so that I can focus better in locating the sources of this an ominous warning of my instincts.

"The wings of silence." Crane whispered to himself.

"The antennas of embarrassment." Mantis muttered.

I was nearly about to chuckle at this... but however, because we were in the very bad situation and that Po's panda students were in the life-threatening situation, I managed to hold my chuckling breath back.

And I stood in silence in my place for fifteen minutes.

I knew that something was out there stalking us from the shadows.

But because of the darkness of the stormy night and the greatly my eyes bothering pouring rain, I was unable to locate their locations among of the statues... and even the dense lightning did not helped me in it.

And going further would be the suicide attempt if you do not know that what is out there.

However, I eventually got an idea, which was, ironically, inspired by these Lord Shen's wolves hatred but also the desire and lust for the panda flesh and blood in the past.

However, I knew exactly that what my plan would require to work in order to locate the hiding spot of each one of our stalkers hiding among of the statues.

It required that I needed to use our panda friends as the bait for our stalkers... by sending them on their own further into the Garden of the masters.

And because there was panda children, old pandas, wounded and villagers – well, at least two panda children: little Bao and Lei Lei, one old panda: Grandma Panda, one villager: Mr. Ping, and our wounded beloved buddy Po – I was extremely reluctant to set my plan into action by using them as the bait for our stalker.

And I was fully aware of Tigress being closely fond with little Lei Lei and Po, and I had to send them too further into the Garden as the bait.

I hoped that this plan would work, because if it doesn't and something or anything bad happens to both Lei Lei and Po, Tigress is definitely gonna kill me for it.

However, this needed to be done.

So, I turned back to pandas.

"Pandas! I need you to keep moving! Go straight ahead, towards that turtle statue in the top of the stairs and head to the Jade Palace pass of it. You understand?" I advised them, gesturing to them with my hand at the statue of Oogway standing in middle of to the Jade Palace's stone porch leading stairs, where the statue was re-carved to replace the old one after it was destroyed by Kai during of his superior attack in here.

However, Li Shan was of course the first one to protest.

"What?! But you acted like you sensed something bad hiding in this very area! How you can send us to out there without even knowing that what is waiting for us out there in the shadows of this storm and those statues?" Li Shan protested loudly.

"I do not like this me neither, master panda, but there is no other option." I said back.

"Besides, if there's indeed something or someone stalking us among of the shadows and the statues, they're only waiting for wounded Po and all of you to hurrying in panic this way, heading to the Jade palace for the refuge and believe that the rest of us are fighting those wolves to buy you more time to get into the Jade Palace. They seemingly do not expect for any of us to attack them." I added.

I clearly saw that the pandas were uncertain and even reluctant to follow my plan.

I couldn't blame them.

This whole attack, to which we weren't even prepared, came as the big surprise to all of us before any one us – especially Po's panda students.

Of course they did very impressive work while fending off the wolves in the Training Hall, meaning that they training under of Po's teaching had served them well...

...but the pandas weren't yet able to sense their opponents presence by instincts, meaning that their training with that wasn't yet complete.

The pandas, of course through of my sensing the presence of the hostile stalkers, were now fully aware of the fact that there was somebody in the Garden of the Masters, waiting for the moment to ambush us.

The attacking waves of the vicious wolves with the third for the blood of pandas coming from the Training Hall and Yard, this fierce and vicious stormy night along with its howling storm wind, a loudly sounding and deeply echoing thunder, the dense lightning and pouring rain, and the knowledge about yet unconfirmed ambush waiting in hide among of the surrounding statues made the pandas even more nervous and scared for their life.

"Please, do as I told you to do. You must trust me, I know what I am doing. We got your backs and we'll not allow anyone to lay their claws nor blades at anyone of you." I said in attempt to encourage them to follow my plan with the Kung Fu warrior's warrior spirit and courage.

The pandas were still a bit reluctant to move into the Garden of the masters.

So I had to form the extra plan to get the pandas to move there.

And I just got one of them.

So, I hurriedly rushed to Dim and Sum, who were by my luck standing in front of the group.

"Dim and Sum, Aside Mei Mei and Li Shan, you're the best panda students Po ever has. I know that you're not fought before in the real battle... with the exception that little struggle against jombies in the Panda village... I know that you two as Po's cousins and students are old and bold enough to face some villainous canines... with your panda style of Kung Fu. Are you ready to face your very first opponents the very first time in your life in the serious close combat?"

Both Po's cousins seemed to be a bit nervous... maybe a bit too nervous to answer... but...

"Weeeee... guess so, Master Monkey." They both said in unison.

That was exactly what I needed.

"Perfect!" I exclaimed.

And then I took out the long bo-staff and the pair of nunchucks, which I had took from the armory of the Training Hall, and I handed them over to the panda brothers.

"With the exception of your jumping- and kicking-style of Kung Fu, I've saw that you two are pretty good in using the staff and even nunchucks, even though master Li Shan and Po seems to master the mastery of using the bo-staff and Mei Mei seems to master the mastery of using nunchucks ten times better, but just forget what did I say. I need you two to scout forward into the Garden of the Masters to ensure the safe pass through the Garden for the pandas and, most importantly, be ready for anything to keep the pandas both in safe and untouched by anything stalking us out there. And if there's really something stalking us, you just need to take them out with your skills you've already learned from Po. You understand? If Po could do it right now, he would say that he trusts to his cousins and their skills. But now when he's unable to do so right now, I say that I trust your skills." I said, trying my best to encourage Po's cousins to even try.

"Uh... We all trust you." Viper said to Po's cousins with the gentle tone, though I could sense there to be a small part of reluctance in supporting my idea in Viper's voice, as Viper payed the brief but coldly scolding glare at me for placing the panda into such of life-threatening situation.

"Good luck to you two." Crane wished to the pandas as well, and I sensed in his voice a bit reluctance as well, though he didn't payed the scolding and cold glare at me unlike Viper had just done.

"Yeah, but be careful and keep your senses on, or else you two might be eaten alive." Mantis, in his turn, said quite sarcastically while standing on my shoulder.

And for that kind of sarcasm, all three of us, me, Viper and Crane, turned our heads and scolding looks at Mantis, warning him silently to keep his mouth shut from discouraging Po's cousins from even trying.

However, Dim and Sum had already overheard Mantis and now two of them were really nervous.

"What about you then, guys?" Dim said, while holding the nunchucks in his paws.

"We got your back. Now, go! Go to the Oogway's statue, we catch you up in there!" Was the only answer I was able to give to Dim and Sum, because I was sure that if our stalkers had extremely good sense of hearing, revealing my true plan to Po's cousins in open and inside of the Garden's border will only cause them to change their strategy to ambush us.

So, WE needed to ambush them, before they ambushes us with the bloody consequences.

From behind of my eye-corner, I saw Li Shan staring at us with the confusing look in his face... probably not believing his ears after what I just said to his nephews and to all of them about we watching their back, though Tigress, Mei Mei and master Shifu were doing it at the moment, while they're supposed to move forwards towards Oogway's statue... even though they were even more than double-times nervous and alarmed after I sensed the possible threat among of the statues of the Garden.

However.

"I hope that you know what are you doing, master Monkey." Li Shan said to me, before he took better hold from Po's left arm on his shoulders and turned towards the rest of the pandas.

"Well, I guess that all of you heard what Monkey said... now, keep moving! Towards the turtle's statue!" Li Shan ordered, and the pandas, with Dim and Sum walking ahead, started to move towards Oogway's statue.

I then gestured the rest of the Five to follow me.

And once we were in the middle of the statues of Thundering Rhino and the master Komodo...

...I gestured Crane to take the position on the tip of Thunderous Rhino's horn and get himself ready to move on my signal.

I gestured then Viper to stand on her ground in the feet of Thundering Rhino and told her too to be ready to move on my signal...

...while I stayed myself... with mantis on my shoulder... next to master Komondo.

"Master Li Shan got the point, Monkey. Probably you know what you're exactly doing. Because I don't see any sense of sending the pandas, Po's dads and Po to go ahead while we stand behind of them like "watching their backs". I say that we should be the ones who are supposed to do the both things than let Po's cousins to go ahead... with the fact that despite being Po's and in a short time to very impressive level in their training reached students students, we are at least in the level of less than decade training. Should we leave Viper and Crane to cover their back and two of us to go ahead of the pandas instead of Po's cousins?" Mantis said, openly but quietly protesting and my plan's functionality with the questioning tone.

I turned my head towards Mantis.

"If there had been another plan to ambush the ones hiding in the shadows first before they ambush us, for the safety and well-being of Po and the rest of the pandas I would never have chosen this one. I was left with not choice than put this one into action to purge this pass way to the Jade Palace. The leaders always knows both the risks and possible consequences." I answered to Mantis.

"And since when you have been the leader of the Furious Five, Monkey? I though that it was the title of Po and Tigress." Mantis responded back to me in the sarcastic tone.

I rolled my eyes and scowled Monkey in frustration.

"You better to focus on this instead of questioning sarcastically my plan, Mantis, unless you don't want to keep little Lei Lei accompany as her... "Greeny Baby"." I responded with the smug grin.

Mantis was immediately taken aback after hearing this, knowing well with by the shock widened eyes that what I exactly meant.

"No way! The antennas of refusal!" Mantis said sharply and sternly.

"Just as I thought."I said humorously, before I turned to the others in the other side.

"Now, everybody! Hold on your ground and wait for my signal!" I repeated to the everyone and prepared myself into the attacking position... and so did Mantis on my shoulder.

LI SHAN'S POV

I was both greatly confused and nervous of Monkey's plan.

He had sensed something ominous stalking us among of these large statues...

...and he had placed all of us to walk ahead, my with the Bo-staff and nunchucks armed nephews yet ahead of the group and left them wit hthe advice to be ready for anything if something bad happens.

Right at the moment, I really hoped that Monkey probably had sensed only delusions instead of the real threat.

But it was far less comforting knowledge that Monkey, like the rest of the Furious Five have been the nearly decade of training with their senses in case of sensing anything ominous which was not in the sight.

However, everything what we were able to do, was follow Monkey's advises and get to the statue of the old turtle.

"Hang on, son. Soon we get you out of here." I said to my son as I took much better hold from Po's arm on my shoulder.

"And we better to get out of here NOW! Because I don't like to be in middle of the place where has been sensed something ominous stalking our son and the rest of us... with only Po's panda cousins as our only security from the front." I heard Mr. Ping saying as he hold from Po's paw.

"Well, I hope that there is not anything bad stalking us, Mr. Pung. Though I know well that that is more than just a vain hope." I said.

And soon, we were in the middle of the statues of the gorilla and lizard as well as on the feet of the stone stairs leading upwards to the statue of the turtle...

...we were about to take our first step to the first steps in the feet of the stair, but I immediately told us to halt, as my nephews kept moving ahead and towards the statue, 'till they were bot at the top of the stairs.

"Dim and Sum! Anything in sight?!" I called my nephews to have some information about our situation.

"Nothing uncle!" Sum answered, while holding Bo-Staff in his paws.

My nephews took at least fifteen minutes while they did their best to keep their weapons ready and their senses alarm, as they looked to everywhere to find something very ominous with their eyes.

However, they soon turned to us, simply shrugging their shoulders as the sight that nothing was not in the sight.

And I was able to let out the deep sight of relief.

"Nothing did happen. The I guess the route was after all..." Sum said...

...but before he was able to finish...

...I saw, much to my shock, something invisible flying out of nowhere pass of my nephew, which unexpectedly snapped Sum's bo-staff in half... causing my poor nephew to look down at his staff in pure shock!

"WHATTA...!" I shouted badly surprised as that invisible thing hit with the sharp sound to the stony handle of the ax i nthe gorilla statue's hands.

"NOW!" Someone suddenly bellowed!

And then, my nephews were ambushed as the briefly acted like they were beaten up, until they were eventually like kicked off the top of the stairs and they flied over of all of us... which was impossible, because there wasn't anybody among of my nephews... but still something "invisible" force was like beating up my nephews!

Until, suddenly and completely unexpectedly...

From the shadows behind of the statues all around of us appeared the large pack of wolves!... and some, at least less than couple dozen, of these villainous canines even appeared in front of us somehow out of nowhere... Like by the magic... without us to see them even coming!

"WHAT IS THIS! WHERE DID THESE WOLVES CAME FROM!" Mr. Ping shouted in panic.

"I DON'T KNOW!" I shouted back as I hurriedly get up on my feet and took my bo-staff in my paws...

...and prepared myself to fight them, although I had no idea, how I am supposed to beat the entire pack of two dozen wolves, who has the ability to disappear without the trace and the appear out of nowhere just like they a moment ago did!

 **TO BE CONTINUE...**

 **I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE READING.  
**


	21. 21: Garden of the Masters Part 2

**********CHAPTER 21: GARDEN OF THE MASTERS PART 2.**********

 **ENJOY THE READING!**

MONKEY'S POV

I was also quite surprised as I saw the wolves appearing out of nowhere, as well from the behind of the statues and from the shadows of all around of on the ground helplessly lying pandas, surrounding them from every corner, blocking their every possible escape.

I knew that there was ambush after all.

But I never expected the wolves having ability to turn themselves invisible and ambush the pandas under of this ability.

Which was, in fact, impossible for the wolves to have such ability, which is the technique mostly owned by the master Chameleon.

Unless the main reasons of these wolves sudden appearance out of nowhere was...

"The Shadow crowns!" I whispered in shock, remembering well those artifacts, of which Heilang, the wolf boss of the Lin Kuei clan from the nearby woods, used once against us inside of the Jade Palace once Crane's mother was paying the visit on us.

These wolves seemingly wore the similar armors with the symbol of the blood-red Flaming Sun like Lord Shen's wolves does, however, these wolves immediately took out their primary weapons along with their long swords and glaive-spears... the long chain hammers, which were often used by Heilang's Lin Kuei clan in every time we encounter this bunch of wolf bandits.

From these, I immediately recognized that these wolves gotta be the members of Heilang's Lin Kuei clan... fighting for Lord Shen among the rest of their wretched kind.

There was, at least, twenty wolves from Lin Kuei clan and even more than just a one hundred wolves with Shen's symbol.

Heilang, however, was nowhere to be seen...

...but his clan members, twirling their hammers above and behind of their heads, seemed to be ready to take the action and attack at any moment to the surrounded pandas.

We had to do something, now when their ambush had been exposed by my plan and the wolves seemed to be not aware of our presence in the another side of the Garden of the masters.

"GET THEM!" I heard someone to order, probably Heilang, who was still nowhere to be seen.

And then, the wolves were about to attack the pandas with the lust for killing... apparently starting from on the ground helplessly and thus being beaten defenseless Po and his panda father, who was the only one to stand against them... though it was ten against one situation.

And then, it was time for us to make our move.

"NOW... ATTACK!" I cried as the signal to the Furious Five.

And all for once, we charged at Feilang's pack all together.

"CRANE! FROM ABOVE!"

"VIPER! LEFT FLANK!"

"MANTIS! YOU GOT THE PANDAS BACKS!"

"AND I'LL TAKE THE FRONT!"

And with the tasks given to each of my fellow member of the Furious Five, we separated to deal off the wolves from all four corner.

LI SHAN'S POV

As I prepared to fight - or more likely die in front of the overwhelming number of wolves - I heard Monkey crying the word "Attack!"

I turned to the direction of Monkey's cry and I saw all four of them, Monkey, Viper, Crane and Mantis, incoming towards us and the wolves surrounding us.

Master Crane was the first one to attack.

And after Monkey had given his attack signal, Crane had jumped from the tip of the rhino statue's horn and plunged in the air in the arch over our enemies.

Crane then spun himself rapidly around in the air as he flew over the wolves heads, and having his wings and their feather blades spread in wide, and with them, Crane sliced the spear heads, the long blades of their swords and their hammer-weapons chains into pieces, disarming the wolves and leaving them both surprised and dumbfounded.

Crane also grabbed at least four wolves with his legs' talons from their tails, lifting the wolves up from the ground as he tirelessly went up to the air with the high speed, despite carrying the weight of himself and four wolves at the same time.

Crane flew over the statue of Oogway, but not before he loosened his grip from the wolves tails and let them to fall against Oogway's statue, knocking them all out.

"Sorry for that, master Oogway!" I heard Crane apologizing... from the statue.

Then, I turned to look at my left side, where I spotted Viper to slithering in the feet of the statues.

Viper delivered the powerful "douple-whip-kicks" with her tail to the wolves faces, knocking about seven wolves out one by one, first sending them dizzy and then finishing them off with the finishing king, as she passed and cleared us through our left flank.

Viper then coiled herself around of eighth wolf with the long handle of the spear, which blade Crane had sliced off from the spear.

Using her technique, "the puppet of death", Viper used the wolf as her body to unleash her Kung Fu skills with the bo-staff turned spear through of another one's paws.

And with the wolf in her possession and using the wolf's staff-like handle of the spear through of his paws as her weapon, Viper attacked the wolves.

While possessing the wolf's body, Viper directed the wolf to circle around the pandas with the running speed and used the wolf's paws to spin the spear quickly and repeatedly from side to side while rushing through of to pandas from the shadows, stairs or behind of the status attacking wolves, giving them dozens and dozens of doubled and repeated swift, snappy and painful whacks from the staff's blunt ends to the wolves' wrists, knuckles, the back-side of their paws or even to their toes, making the wolves to yelp in pain, drop their weapons to the ground and grab from their paws or wrists with their another paws while howling in pain, before knocking the wolves out, one by one with the swift, snappy and painful whacks to their faces and so hard to ensure that the wolves were and stayed knocked out.

And with the strikes with the both ends of the staff, Viper also managed to knock the several teeth out from the wolves mouths.

And after Viper had knocked out cold forty wolves, Viper released the wolf from her possession, but coiled herself around of the wolf's wrist, and swung him around of herself... knocking out two wolves, who had surrounded her with the intention to attack her from every direction...

...before Viper tossed the wolf with all her strength towards the wolves standing in the top of the stairs, knocking out at least three wolves more.

Then I turned around to see sixteen wolves charging right behind of us at us, with their weapons, mostly swords and daggers but also with a few spears, axes and maces, lifted over their heads and ready to deliver the deadly strikes upon us.

I prepared myself to combat... despite my still lacking experiences of the real Kung Fu fight... and to my surprise my nephews, after having recovered from the invisible attack at the feet of the turtle's statue, stood up on my side with their weapons monkey gave to them.

In fact, I should have tell them to get behind of me and leave this fight to me, but I had not time to argue with my nephews and prepare myself ready to fight the wolves all at the same time.

So, I decided to leave it for later to discuss and focus to the fight.

However, before the wolves managed to even reach to us...

Suddenly the some invisible force sliced within a few seconds their swords blades, long handles of their spears and the chains of their chain hammers into pieces, leaving the wolves absolutely dumbfounded about that what had just happened.

And, before the wolves were able to react, the same invisible force started with the brutal force to beat up the wolves, knocking them out cold, like if they just got the direct and hard kick to their heads and tripping their legs off from beneath of them... leaving the wolves powerless... within mere seconds again.

"Mantis?" I whispered, as I realized that I had forgot master Mantis, who was no doubt behind of this invisible force attacking the wolves.

The bug was indeed, despite his small size, one of the strongest Kung Fu warriors and his small size was in fact his the best advantage against his the bigger opponent.

And then, as there was seventy wolves beaten and lying in the ground unconscious and fifteen-sixteen left, it was Monkey left.

Monkey hurriedly climbed through of the statues of the master Komodo and master hippo, before he leaped high into the air and towards the wolves standing on the stairs leading up to the turtle master's statue, while spinning his three-section-staff's loose end above of his head while holding with both of his paws from the staff's two other handles.

"INCOMING!" Monkey bellowed, as he landed in middle of the wolves and started whacking the remaining wolves with his staff.

There was to be heard " _WHACK! BAM! BOW! PAFF!_ " within a mere four seconds and Monkey was standing in middle of in the ground lying gang of fifteen severely and to the unconscious beaten wolves.

And after that, more wolves showed up and all attacked Monkey from all directions

And with that, Monkey briefly spun his three-section-staff over both of his shoulders and around of his upper body beneath of his armpits for a four times before combined his staff's sections together, forming from it the staff for a while, after which he took the battle to the wolves.

The first wolf jumped off from the head of the statue of the master Gorilla and landed on his feet to the ground with the flame-resembling daggers in both of his paws, but before he managed to recover from the landing to the ground and attack Monkey with his daggers, Monkey pulled hard his staff in lateral position towards the wolf's chin, knocking his head backwards.

And when the wolf was stunned, Monkey changed his left hand's position on his staff, after which he whacked the staff's left side blunt head to the right side of the wolf's face. And after that, Monkey switched his hands positions on his staff by moving his right hand to hold the staff from its upper part and moving his left hand to hold it from its lower part, and then he pulled the staff's blunt end hard downwards and directly to the wolf's legs and toes in his right leg. The hard impact of the staff's blunt end against the wolf's toes made the wolf yelp loudly out of pain and drop his weapon to the ground, but Monkey wasn't yet finished.

As the wolf lifted up his from Monkey's strike sore leg up to hold it with his paws while howling in pain, Monkey at first swung his staff's end behind of the wolf's still standing leg, taking the leg off beneath of the wolf, tripping the wolf and finished him off with the hard straight strike against the wolf's stomach.

And after finishing off the wolf, Monkey swung his staff to his left side, whacking the next two attacking wolves faces hard, making them to halt their attack, which gave Monkey the opportunity to lift up his left leg, twist his hips, recoil and extend his leg forward. Monkey quickly performed the direct kick to the chest of one wolf in the right and then swung his leg laterally and hard to the left, kicking to the next wolf in the left faces. His combined kick send both the wolves to fly in arch aside and on their backs over to the ground.

Monkey was then about to be attacked by six wolves right after those three he just finished off.

Two first one lifted up their axes above of their heads in attempt to land their wide blades fatally on him, but Monkey disarmed them by couple times swinging with one hand his staff laterally from side to side, directing his staff's blunt head to hit straight towards the wolves knuckles around of the handles of the axes as they were incoming from above straight down on him. And with a couple snappy strikes, the wolves howled in pain after Monkey's staff's blunt head's snappy impact to their knuckles that got them to release their grips from their weapons, after which Monkey bent his legs downwards and swung with two hands his staff towards the wolves legs, taking their legs off beneath of them and tripping them over to the ground.

Next wolf, wielding the serpentine-bladed sword, used Monkey's attention on from the stairs towards him charging wolf with the spiked mace in his front side as his advantage and attempted to attack Monkey from behind with his sword pulled to his left and behind of his head in attempt to slice his head in half with the lateral swung.

However, Monkey sensed this incoming and bent his legs down again just in time as it flied over of his head, narrowly missing his head fur. And after dodging the wolf's weapon, Monkey pulled his staff hard backwards and struck hard the staff's another blunt head to the wolf's stomach, making the wolf to gasp in pain and bow his upper body and head down from the painful impact to his stomach, after which Monkey spun himself to his right and swung his staff to behind of the wolf's leg, taking them beneath of him and making the wolf to unintentionally perform the backward somersault in the air.

Monkey used this as his advantage by bouncing to behind of the wolf and striking his staff in vertical position in the ground. After which Monkey bounced on it, grabbed from the upper part of the staff and swung with his own weight himself around of the staff before he released his grip from the staff and launched himself straight towards still backwards somersaulting wolf and performed the double-punch-kick the wolf to his stomach. Monkey's kick sent the wolf to fly against the wolf with the mace, making them both to roll down along the stairs.

And from the kick, Monkey bounced back towards his staff and grabbed from its upper part, swinging himself around of the staff once again as three a new wolves were on their way towards him, with their swords up and ready for the strikes. However, they never got the chance to strike Monkey, as Monkey during the second round performed a two direct punch-kicks to two of wolves faces and one lateral arch-kick to the left side of the faces of third wolf, knocking all three of them out cold.

Monkey then bent his staff with his own weight downwards a little during of his third round before launching himself a high into the air, avoiding on his way the several towards him fired arrows and tossed spears and chain-hammers as his performed the backwards somersault, in middle of which he also performed the elegant lateral barrel roll to narrowly avoid several arrows and chain-hammers.

"WOOAAHH!" The pandas said, truly impressed by Monkey's movements.

And as Monkey came downwards with his head and towards his staff extended hands ahead, Monkey grabbed from his staff again and swung himself around of it, this time to the opposite side.

And after one round, Monkey launched himself towards the stairs and us, as there was two next wolves attacking him with the spears, with his into the squat-position bent legs ahead and pulled on his way his staff off the ground. And during of his fly, Monkey extended his legs towards the wolves and kicked them on their backs over to the stairs.

And then, Monkey landed back on his feet in top of the stairs and in middle of dozens of in the ground lying and to unconscious knocked wolves, spun his staff a briefly above of his head before he pulled the half part of his staff behind of his back from beneath of his right armpit and extended his hand forward.

And then, even more wolves showed up to the scene for the aid of the remaining ones and all of them attacked Monkey at once.

As more wolves attacked Monkey, Monkey dodged the first one's one lateral swung and one direct stab-strike of his sword, before he struck hard with his staff's lower end to the wolf's stomach, making the wolf to curl up in pain while holding his stomach with his paws, until Monkey finished him off with he hard knock with the staff's upper end to the right side of the wolf's head.

Monkey then swung his staff towards two other from his left side attacking wolves faces, sending them both dizzy and halting their attack. Monkey used this as his advantage and placed one of his staff's blunt ends against the ground into the upright position and pulled with the support of the staff himself laterally upwards and ended up into the backwards somersault in the air, performing the laterally upwards directed kicks to beneath of the wolves chins, sending the villainous lupines to fly in the arches over on their backs to the ground.

And after performing the backwards somersault and landing back to the ground, Monkey was about to be attacked by three other wolves once more. But this time, using his leg work, Monkey rolled himself around and swung his staff laterally from down to upwards and towards to him charging wolves; tripping the first one by taking his legs off beneath of him with the end of his staff and whacking to other wolves to their chest and faces hard enough to knock them put and send them over to the ground.

Monkey then paused his fight for a while, like deliberately giving the wolves time to surround him from every corner and even a change to attack him in any moment and with any opportunity they got.

However, Monkey pulled his staff above of his head and spun it for a while, before he grabbed with both of his paws from one end of the staff and eventually swung his staff's another end around of himself in the level of the legs, tripping at least four wolves by taking their legs off beneath of them with his staff.

And soon after that, Monkey jumped towards the lone wolf and landed in front of him with his legs bent into a squat position and swung his staff towards this wolves legs as well, tripping him and sending him to fall over to the ground.

And upon of next enemy wolf's attack, Monkey jumped back to upright position to face him, but not before lifting his right leg up and coiling it while performing the swift-paced barrel roll on his left leg and spun himself for a couple rounds, extending his right leg in the beginning of the second round and swinging his leg around of himself and into the lateral kick to the attacking wolf's chest, sending him to fall aside.

And after that, Monkey quickly bowed down and out of the way the next attacking wolf's towards of his head directed and over of his head flying blade, and right after that, Monkey bounced back in his upright position and turned around to avoid from behind of his back attacking wolf's direct stab-strike with his spear, narrowly avoiding the certain death from the wolf's spear under of the first one's created distraction.

However, once their attempt on his life failed, Monkey grabbed once again with both of his paws from the lower end of his staff and swung it partially around of himself, whacking with the staff's another end of the spear-wielding wolf's back of his head and to the first one's faces, knocking them both out cold and sending them to fall unconscious to the ground around of them.

And with that, after lifting up his staff and after spinning it with both of his hands, Monkey placed the half-part of his staff with the support of his left hand and arm to lie against his back while he extended his right hand towards the new attackers.

While following these four Kung Fu master's progress after releasing their Kung Fu skills upon these wolves, I saw from my eye corner that even Dim and Sum had joined the fight with Monkey on the stairs...

...and since then I was unable to call them back and stay with me to protect the rest of the pandas.

All what I was able to do, was only follow from aside as my nephews joined to Monkey's side on the stairs.

"Remember the code master-cousin-Po taught us, brother!" Dim said to his brother.

The code Dim just mentioned, the code of the panda style of Kung Fu, was the code what my son had taught to my nephews and the carriers of the gift of the panda style of Kung Fu...

...and which they carried out to the incoming and attacking wolves from between of the statues and out from the shadows.

"DUCK!" Dim shouted as he charged towards the six wolves that attacked him with the swords, a couple pairs of daggers and one spear.

They attacked him one by one and attempted to slash or stab with their swords to various places in Dim, like to his legs, knees, stomach, to each side, his throat and his head. However, my son had taught my nephews well, because Dim was able to swiftly to dodge every strike with which the wolves attempted to kill them by a couple times jumping through of the aerial somersaults out of the way to his legs and knees targeted swords' blades, dodging the spear's direct stab-strike to his stomach by moving to his right dodging and the sword's serpentine-shaped blade's lateral swung to his right side by moving to his left and finally avoiding their daggers from slashing his throat open and slicing his head in half by leaning his head backwards, narrowly avoiding their extremely sharp edges from reaching to his throat or bowing down out of the way of the blades.

And after passing all six wolves, Dim turned around to face from his swift dodging movements dumbfounded wolves.

"DISARM!" Dim shouted as he started to spun the loose ends of his nunchucks and directed their blunt ends with the couple of swift, snappy and straight whipping-strikes and a couple lateral strikes to whack to the wolves back-sides of their paws or their knuckles around of their weapons handles, making them to yelp out of pain and to drop their weapons. He also swiftly disarmed the spear-wielding one by spinning his nunchucks loose ends around of the spear's staff and then dragged the weapon off from the wolf's paws.

"DISTRACT!" Dim shouted as he delivered with his nunchucks loose ends' blunt ends the several swift but painfully hard strikes to either distract them or to make them dizzy... including whacking with both of his nunchucks loose ends hard to one of the wolf's toes, making him to yelp even louder out of the pain.

"AND FINISH OFF!" Dim shouted as he quickly somersaulted over the seventh to the brawl joined wolf's lateral swing of his sword and landed on it, pinning the blade down before he swung both of his nunchucks loose ends towards the first wolf, hitting him first to his stomach with the direct strike of his left paw's nunchaku before whacking his right paw's nunchaku's loose end to beneath of the second wolf's chin, before knocking the wolf completely out with the hard knock to its head with the same nunchaku's loose end.

And then, as another wolf attacker was approaching, Dim leaped to balance on his butt on the ground while rolling himself from side to side as the wolves picked up their blades from the ground and began to circle him. Dim proceeded in his doings by taking the legs off from beneath of one of the wolf attackers with his nunchucks loose ends, causing the wolf to fall to the ground on his knees, before Dim suddenly stopped himself and fell on his back to the ground, before he delivered two quick lateral somersaults in still along the ground, knocking with four strikes of his nunchucks loose ends to the wolf's head, pinning with the second strike the wolf's head against the ground before knocking the wolf's head with two latter strikes of his nunchucks loose ends, ending up to stand on his head.

And as the remaining five wolves attacked, though disarmed, Dim positioned himself to stand onto his head and rolled himself around while spinning his nunchucks loose ends in both side of his hands, knocking each wolf to their heads with his weapons loose ends with the two doubled strikes and knocking them out.

And after that, Dim jumped on his feet, apparently not dizzy from the latter move but instead ready to take down more wolf attackers.

"DUCK!" Dim shouted again as he bowed down out of the way of the spears that were threw towards him, which tips dug into the ground just behind of his back. Dim then proceeded by making a couple somersaults forwards to avoid even more towards him thrown spears before he jumped back on his feet and jumped again into the air, narrowly avoiding a few towards his legs directly swung chain-hammers' spiked fist-shaped hammers that could have crushed Dim's knees. And as they missed him, the hammers cracked or misplaced some stone plates from their places beneath of the hammers' weigh in the very same spot where Dim was just standing.

"DISARM!" Dim shouted again as he, while being about to land back on his feet to the ground, swung his nunchucks in the arches to downwards and snapped the chain-hammers chains in half, breaking them.

Dim was then immediately surrounded by the wolves that showed up from beneath of the statues next to his right: Five of them in the front side and four others from the backside, with the swords in their paws.

"ATTACK!" Dim shouted again as he began to spin the loose ends of his nunchucks and performed the barrel roll in the ground, swinging his nunchucks to both sides at the same time and knocked with two devastating swings all nine wolves out cold and sending them to lie unconsciously all over the ground around of him.

And then, Dim turned to the pack of fourteen wolves, a few of them were the wielders of the chain-hammers, whom were standing on the stairs.

"AND FINISH OFF!" Dim shouted again as combined his nunchucks together and tossed them together to fly rapidly and laterally spinning in the air towards the wolves on the stairs. And as a result, Dim managed to knock out cold the entire pack standing in the stairs, as his together merged and laterally twirling nunchucks flew through of the entire pack in the level of their heads, delivering the doubled strikes from both of merged nunchucks blunt heads.

And after finishing off the pack, the merged nunchucks flew in arch from the backside of some statues on Dim's right side, before the nunchucks returned back to his paw.

And in Sum's case...

"DUCK!" Sum shouted as he dodged with the bow the wolf's attack, which could had cut off his head...

"DISARM!" Sum shouted as he swung his bo-staff into air and landed it's blunt head with the high speed to the wolf's wrist, causing the villainous canine to whimper in pain and to drop his sword from his paws...

"ATTACK!" Sum shouted as he whacked with his staff to the wolf's toes, making him to whimper in the pain again... and this time louder, before Sum swung his staff's another blunt head hard to upwards, striking it the wolf to the beneath of his chin...

"AND FINISH OFF!" Sum shouted as he lifted his right leg up and coiled it before rolling himself around on one of his legs before he performed the finishing kick to the wolf's chest, sending him to fly over on his back to the ground.

"DUCK!" Sum shouted again as he bowed down once again, getting out of the way towards of his head swinging chain hammer wielded by the next attacking wolf...

"DISTRACT!" Sum shouted again as he lifted his staff to the level of his shoulders and knocked with its end to the wolf's head.

"ATTACK!" Sum shouted again as he grabbed with his paw from the chain of the hammer, as the wolf soldier, out of pure anger and frustration, swung his weapon again towards Sum but was immediately dumbfounded after the panda had grabbed from his weapon's chain in the mid-fly towards him.

"AND FINISH OFF!" Sum shouted again as he pulled the chain hardly towards himself, pulling the wolf with it as well. Sum also bowed down and prepared himself to impact between of him and towards him flying wolf. And during of the impact, wolf turned violently upside down along Sum's back and kept flying to Sum's other side, colliding with two another wolves, knocking them out as well.

I also saw, that Monkey was about to be overwhelmed by over forty remaining wolves of this ambush.

And after seeing this as well, both my nephews rushed to aid him, but they were instantly blocked from getting to Monkey's aid by over two dozens of wolves more, while the rest ones surrounded Monkey and were about to beat/cut him to death with their weapons.

Until... much to my surprise, also a little Bao had joined the fight, though a distance away from the struggle itself.

Little Bao fought by lifting the small round rocks off the ground with his legs into the air, before jumping to the air himself and kicking the rocks to the wolves heads during of upside down made somersault.

Also Bao's training under Po had done well to little Bao.

Not only brave for his age, but also very accurate to aim the rocks to their targets with his kicks.

None of them missed their target.

And within seconds, Bao had managed to knock out with nine accurately aimed and kicked rock at least nine wolves, through miracle, forcing the rest to retreat to top of the stairs.

And after Bao's attacks, Dim and Sum were finally able to reach to Monkey's aid.

And once they were there, the duo immediately got attacked by more than half of those wolves that were still attacking Monkey, prompting the panda brothers to do something to this matter and fast.

And after a couple of minutes, Dim was the first one for the duo to get some idea, though Dim, as his name already tells, isn't usually as bright and fast-thinking like his brother Sum usually is.

"BROTHER! DOUBLE-DEATH-STRIKE!" Dim called for his brother and he lunged towards Sum, with his paws extended ahead.

Sum then extended his in the lateral position held staff towards his brother's paws, and once Dim grabbed from the staff as well, Sum swung him around of himself and towards the seven wolves attacking them first, to whom Dim performed the series of kicks to their chests or faces during of the swing, kicking them out cold and over to the ground one by one out.

And after that, Sum lifted Dim in arch over of himself, allowing his brother to perform the split-kick to two from the heads of opposite statues towards Sum leaping and attacking wolves backs, sending them to fly towards and land hard against the statues, knocking them out, before Sum allowing his brother to land back on his feet to the ground.

And after that, Sum was immediately attacked by eleven wolf swordsman, two-three of which attacked him from above, and all of them had their swords lifted up above of their heads until they landed them upon of Sum.

However, Sum lifted up his bo-staff on the way of the wolves' blades, which were immediately halted back by the long handle of Sum's staff.

And then, before the wolves could either pull their swords for the fatal stab-strikes targeted directly to Sum's unprotected stomach or lift their blades above of their heads for the another, and this time even harder upright strikes that could have slice Sum's staff in half, Sum lifted his staff and the wolves blades along with it a bit higher above of himself and...

"FEET OF FURY!" Dim shouted, after which he started to deliver in rapid succession the kicks to the wolves' faces or chests, sending the wolves to either fly on their backs over the ground or fly against those ones, whom were still facing Monkey and knock half of them over and aside as well.

"Nice reflexes." Monkey commented my nephews battle style.

And glad to hear that from Monkey, both my nephews congratulated each other with the high-four.

I couldn't help but take the proud smile of my nephews and a little Bao for taking down these savage villains... as I started to help my fellow pandas, first Hugger panda, then Grandma panda and finally little Lei Lei back up on their feet.

"Li Shan! I need your help to get Po up from the ground!" I heard Mr. Ping calling me.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" I responded, as I rushed to my Mr. Ping's side and gestured the Hugger Panda to follow and help me with my son.

And together, me and Hugger lifted Po up from the ground, lifted both of my son's arms over our shoulders and we kept moving through on the ground unconsciously lying wolves and we climbed up the stairs to the turtle's statue.

And after Monkey had finished off the remains of this ambush, the way was clear for us... for now.

And after me, my son, Mr. Ping and the rest of the pandas reached to the top of the stairs, I saw our four as bodyguards a moment acting masters of Kung Fu standing in the feet of the turtle's statues, where they had regrouped after the ambush...

...and while going towards them with my son the rest of the pandas, I heard them to discuss something with each others... something that possibly related to that ambush that happened a moment ago in the middle of the Garden of the Masters, as Viper, Crane and Mantis were targeting their scowls on their faces directly at Monkey.

And speaking of ambush, there was one thing I just don't understand...

What exactly was going on in Monkey's mind when he with the high risk our lives... even little Bao's and Lei Lei's lives... sent all of us nearly to our deaths if he actually knew all a time that there in fact was the deadly ambush set in middle of the Garden by those villainous and savage wolves hiding under the cover of the stormy night's darkness or some kind of power of invisibility or something.

That was extremely foolish and unacceptable act and he nearly neglected his task to ensure our security... as master Shifu had ordered back in the Training Hall.

At least I know that master Tigress, due to her closest bond with my son and little Lei Lei, probably would never have forgiven to Monkey if anything could have happened to Po or Lei Lei due to his foolish and rash act.

I'm sure that even master Shifu himself would be disappointed to Monkey at now, if he had just seen or learned from us that what Monkey just did and not being behind with Tigress and Mei Mei to hold the wolves back.

However, because of my son's in every minute worsening status and the wolves right behind of us, I decided to let the letter thing go for a while and focus more to get my poor son out of here and to the village's doctor as soon as possible, before my son's badly hammered well-being and status would get any worse.

And when this is all over, I will discuss with Monkey with the stern tone about this foolish and rash act and endangering our lives.

But not now.

"One hundred and eighty-nine wolves?" I heard Mantis saying to the others with skeptical tone.

"So I at least counted them. One is missing... Heilang himself is missing." I heard Monkey reporting to the others, mentioning to me a completely new guy with a strange name, Heilang.

"Did anybody saw him escaping from the area?" Viper then asked from his fellow comrades.

"More easier said than done, Viper. And no wonder if anyone of us did not even saw him escaping from the area, because that wretched flea-coat has probably in his possess one of those stolen Shadow Crowns, wearing it upon his head, disappeared as it's well-known effect to its wielder and escaped like the coward he is." Mantis said to all of them.

"Or then maybe not... maybe he removed it from his head as the ambush began, but instantly retreated into the shadows as we attacked his pack." Monkey said. "Probably he dropped the crown to the ground accidentally and is now only hiding within the shadows." Monkey guessed.

"I think that he did, Monkey. Because I checked the whole area twice after these wolves were defeated from the air, but no sight about the head wolf." Crane, skeptical about Monkey's guess, informed to the others,

"Are you sure, because it's not Heilang's way to retreat like that from the battlefield." Mantis asked again from Crane.

"You wanna jump on my hat and go to check the area for him with me if you don't believe me." Crane said back to Mantis with offended and stern voice.

While listening them, I knew that they were talking about someone I didn't know - and in fact, I did not even want to know - but whom with this strange name, Heilang, all four of them, master Tigress and my son including, had already met many times over, long before they even met me and I met them... but probably after them and their master Shifu having met my son.

However, as I was about to open to my mouth to say something...

"Ah-hem, I'm sorry to interrupt to your discussion with each other about somebody, whom I don't know and I don't even want to know unlike what you do, but shouldn't we instead take my... my and Li Shan's... son straight to the village's doctor to heal?!" Mr. Ping said - or more likely shouted - to the four masters impatiently and nervously looking around of all of us in case of a new attack.

Though each one of them, Monkey, Viper, Crane and Mantis, were a bit startled after being loudly and unexpectedly to them interrupted their discussion with each others about the something at not no-important thing...

...they all quickly snapped out of it and they agreed to leave not-right-now discuss of this Heilang-guy for a while and focus more into their mission to take Po out of here to the village's doctor and defend the Jade Palace from the wolf invasion.

And so, all four from the Furious Five immediately started to hurriedly gesture us to follow after them through the rest of the stairs towards the gates of the Jade Palace, passing of the passed turtle master's statue in the process.

But, however, all four masters then halted us back after we had passed the old turtle's statue and were in the middle of the stairs.

The explanation to this, of which Viper told to us, was that because the stairs of the One Thousand Steps were the only way to get onto the Jade Mountain's peak, a new ambush, that would have been presumably settled in the porch of the Jade Palace, would be both unpredictable and possible...

...especially if the first ambush would fail, which we actually managed to ruin a moment ago.

Viper also told us that they should have scout ahead to ensure the way to be clear and safe for us to pass the gates of the Jade palace.

And because of Monkey got all of us, me, my son, Mr. Ping and all the rest of the pandas to "go to scout" the stairs leading to the old turtle's statue, the members of the Furious Five decided to this time to handle the scouting ahead for us.

"Monkey and Mantis. Make you two yourself useful And go ahead to scout the porch of the Jade Palace and the Hall of Warriors, if you please?" Viper asked from Monkey and Mantis, who were standing right ahead of the group.

 **To be continued...**

 **I hoped you enjoyed the reading of this chapter.**


	22. 22: Nice headgears Part 1

**********CHAPTER 22:********** **NICE HEADGEARS PART 1.  
**

 **ENJOY THE READING!**

MANTIS' POV

I cannot believe that what did I just heard coming from Viper's mouth.

"What? Why me? Why I am supposed to go to scout ahead?" I protested, and seemingly much to my fellow comrades annoyance.

However, to my defense, I would say that I did not protest of what Viper tasked us to do, because I was afraid.

Out of the question. I'm afraid of nothing!

I am one of the most bravest - yet strongest - Kung Fu warriors of all the China, despite my small appearance. And I don't care if there's against me the pack of hundred wolves or at the same time three of massive gorilla minion of Lord Shen against me.

I'll say bring it on.

But in this case, I believed that it was Monkey who was supposed to go to scout ahead.

Because in fact, Monkey was the one in the first place, who urged the pandas to "go ahead and scout" the area of the Garden of the Masters. Though in fact Monkey used them as the bait to lure the wolves out of their hiding places and out of their stolen Shadow Crowns cloaking effect.

"Because, my old fella, Because you yourself said that Heilang has not most likely retreated from the battle, and you seemed a moment ago to be wanting to ensure that fact to yourself. Didn't you?" Crane asked from me with the amused yet sly grin on his beak.

"What? Who? Me? Oh no! Nonononono! Nope! I did not said anything like that, Crane. It was just the protest. Nothing else." I protested frantically.

"And two other reasons why you, Mantis. At first... because you're small, thus nearly invisible from the enemy's eyes..." Viper said...

...earning the quite stern and dark look from me, because I took it offense any time if somebody - even among of my friends - offensively, to me, underestimates me and my Kung Fu powers by calling me small because of my appearance.

And I thought that Viper should to know that.

"...and secondly, you're sitting on Monkey's shoulder. That's why." Viper finished.

"Is that in any way a rational explanation to the fact that why me? Why you don't send Monkey to scout ahead? He was the one who told to pandas to "scout ahead" though in fact he used the pandas as the bait to lure those wolves out from their hidings spots among the statues and out of their crowns cloaking effects." I still fiercely protested back.

"Yeah, is that in any way a rational explanation to the fact that why me? Why you don't send Monkey to scout ahead? He was the one who..." Monkey said like as he was about to imitate my own words to find excuse to get out of this and get Viper to send me instead of both of us.

"OUCH!" I suddenly yelped in pain.

"OUH!" Monkey yelped in pain as well.

We both yelped in pain, because we started to feel the quick out of nowhere appeared sharp and quite burning pain in our cheeks...

...which felt like we both had received the quite sharp whipping-like slap, coming from Viper.

Of course she did so to snap both of us out from any kind of excuses.

"You two now knock it off! No more any kind of excuses from both of you to get out of this simple task... and make yourself useful by scouting the porch of the Jade Palace gates and the Hall of Warriors! GOT IT?!" Viper hissed sternly at both of us...

...as she unexpectedly extended herself towards both of our faces and whipping her tail against the ground... nearly causing Monkey to fell backwards and on his back to the ground, as she stopped Five centimeters away from his face... looking us into the eyes with the stern and demanding look.

MONKEY'S POV

Viper's quick movement and sudden stop in front of my nose had the strong effect to me.

Though I was in the combat both fast and cunning, the Viper was even faster than me.

And her attacks plus strikes with her whip-like tail were even more painful than my own strikes with my three-section-staff.

And not only Viper's sudden movement towards my and Mantis faces and the sharp strike with her whip-like tail wasn't enough...

...but to the scene newly arrived master Shifu, who stood in the next of Po's father's and wounded Po, had locked his own stern- and demanding-looking eyes at me and Mantis, like he was demanding the very same from two of us like Viper just did.

"You heard Viper. GO! Go to scout the Jade Palace and ensure that it is safe to go in there." Shifu demanded sternly.

The stern and demanding tone wasn't new, because we were in middle of the massive ambush/attack with our sworn-enemy.

I then lifted my hands up and placed them into the "calm down" position.

"Alright, alright... no problem, guys." I said to them before I turned around and went ahead with Mantis on my shoulder.

And on my way, it was either me or then I then someone chuckling next to my ear.

"You know what, Monkey. You need to exercise your spiritual defenses in the fight by words with your opponents, or else you end up to lose the fight by words every time." Mantis told me to my ear, with quite sarcastic tone.

"Humph!" Was my only response as I kept moving towards the gates of the Jade Palace.

And once both me and Mantis both reached to the porch of the Jade Palace, I sent Mantis to quickly check out to behind of the eastern corner of the palace, while I checked twice the entire area surrounding both the porch of the Jade Palace's gates and the top of the Stairs of the Thousand Steps, including the the Jade Palace's rooftop to ensure that there was nobody anywhere hiding among the darkness of the stormy night neither in ambush, waiting for us, nor watching over the stairs of the Jade Palace, our only escape way out of here, and being ready to block our only possible escape way out of the Jade Palace from us... or more precisely said, to block from Po's father's, pandas and badly wounded Po's the only escape way out of the Jade Palace and head to the village down there in the Valley, while master Shifu wanted the rest of us to remain in the Jade Palace to defend it from our enemy.

Mantis then returned to me and jumped on my shoulder.

"Nothing from behind of the corners. It seems to be clear." Mantis reported to me to my ear...

...and I responded to this with the nod.

"Nobody in here neither. Seems to be clear to me too." I said...

...before I pointed with my finger at the gates of the Jade Palace.

"Then let's go to check the Hall of the Warriors." I suggested and immediately headed towards the closed doors of the Jade Palace.

And once I and Mantis on my shoulder reached to there, we both pressed our hands - and Mantis his claws - against one of the doors and we started to push them slowly and carefully inside...

...until there was an appropriate gap between of the doors for me to fit in.

And so I did: I stopped to press the doors anymore further inside of the hall and both me and Mantis peeked inside of the Hall.

And because of the darkness inside of the hall, thanks to the dark and stormy night outside and all the lanterns were not ignited, or then the storm wind had killed the flames out of them all.

And the only light we got to inside of the Hall of the Warriors was the bright lightnings in the outside.

And when the lighting flashed the stormy sky and the dark hall, the hall seemed to be both empty and the way clear.

However, I kept my sensed in full alert, because master Shifu had told us during of our training that whatever we do or see, we should not be so sure about the fact that there's not anyone neither in presence nor in sight

"It's quiet inside here... _maybe too quiet_." I said with the dramatic tone.

"I know very well that the Hall of the Warriors is both empty, dark and quiet, you idiot. What did you think you were doing?." Mantis scolded me on my shoulder, completely unimpressed of my dramatic tone.

"What?" I said as I turned my head to Mantis as much as I could, shrugging my shoulders.

"I'm just trying to create a mood." I explained.

"What if we just go inside to investigate more to see if it is safe to fortify here, okay?" Mantis suggested impatiently and a bit annoyed... both of my joke in such of serious moment and this heavy raining outside.

"Whatever..." I said, shrugging my shoulders again.

And then I peeked inside of the Hall of the Warriors once again, and this time, so that Mantis was able to peek inside too.

The Hall was empty, dark and quiet.

And lighted only by the bright lightnings outside.

We two kept watching to the darkness, but nothing seemed to move in the dark.

And then, the bright lightning lighted the entire hall, showing no one inside of the hall.

And then, everything went back into dark.

And the lightning lighted the hall again, showing its emptiness.

Everything went back into dark again.

And the lightning lighted the hall again, showing its emptiness again.

Everything went back into dark again.

And the lightning lighted the hall one more time, showing its emptiness one more time.

And everything went back into dark one more time.

But at a new bright lightning...!

As a new bright lighting lighted the entire Hall of the Heroes once again...

...in middle of the a moment ago empty Hall of the Warriors was standing silently and still in the line eight mysterious and quite fierce and menacing-looking snow leopard-resembling warriors.

There was at least six ones of them, whose a muscular physique and size reminded me about our long-dead enemy, Tai Lung. And they had the grayish-white coat and menacingly glowing blood-red eyes

But two last ones of this mysterious group were more slender like is they were the females, and they had a much lighter white fur that what had the muscular ones, who possibly were males, and the golden, but still menacing, golden eyes.

They were all dressed like Tai Lung had, except that they had the dark-black pants and the blood-red sashes.

They were all wearing the large blood-red robe-like capes with a hoods, and which they had wrapped around of their bodies.

And each one of their capes in their front side was hanging the print of the same symbol, the Flaming Blood-Red Sun, of Lord Shen what his wolves and gorillas always bears with proud and honor to that evil peacock.

Only their heads were still on seen.

They all wore upon their heads the helmets, fitted with the wide, round and metal surfaced Japanese-hat-like headgears and the the black masks, which were shaped to resemble the savage-looking beasts mouths with their mouths open and the lines of sharp-tipped and golden fangs bared into the fierce look, that along with their capes' hoods' masks covered their faces completely.

I gasped in shock and ultimate surprise, as I stared with by the shock widened eyes at these mysterious eight warriors, who had somehow appeared out of nowhere to in the middle of the Hall like the ghosts!

"WHOA!" I heard Mantis saying as shocked and surprised as me, with his eyes widened and his mouth hanging open.

These eight warriors looked so menacing with their fierce-looking and probably fear-inspiring masks!

I gotta admit that one glance at these eight guys, with such of menacingly glowing eyes, appearing silently out of nowhere and dressed/wrapped into the blood-red capes and having such of fierce masks... really gave me some shivers.

And besides of all, turning the mood even more shivers-giving and making my heart to beat even faster and harder, the bright lighting behind of the Jade Palace created from them the more menacing-looking shadows upon us.

And yet, it seemed like if these warriors did not had the physical form, as the bright flash of the lightnings seemed to went through of their masks... as well as the places of their heads, giving even more shivers and making me to question that were these warriors either hallucinations, some kind of ghost warriors or just mere flesh and blood like any mortal.

However, I realized that they were either ghost warriors, or something, or just mere flesh and blood instead of hallucinations, because Mantis on my shoulder saw them as well as I did.

"Well... Monkey... What if... we go to tell others that the way is not quite clear?" Mantis suggested, nearly with the fear-filled whisper to my ear.

"On it." Was my only response, as I slowly backed off back to outside.

However, I turned yet one more time to these mysterious and seriously fearsome warriors.

"For your information... _**nice headgears**_." I said with the slight humor, as I quickly pulled myself to outside and with pulling backwards I slammed the door close, leaving these warriors inside.

CRANE'S POV.

Me, Viper and master Shifu led the pandas, Po's fathers and wounded Po to the porch of the Jade Palace's gates...

...while Tigress and Mei Mei were together holding off the wolf pack at the feet of the stairs leading to statue of master Oogway, slowly retreating step by step as each defeated wolf was quickly replaced by two fresh new wolf soldier.

However, we then suddenly stopped as we saw Monkey and Mantis on his shoulder hurriedly rushing towards us.

"GUYS! GUYS! GUYS! GET BACK! GET BACK! GET BACK!" Both of them screamed with the loud voice... and both of them had the shocked expressions on their faces like if they have seen the ghost or something like that.

"Monkey! Mantis! What are you doing?! What is the meaning of this?!" Master Shifu asked sternly.

"You're going to wrong way, Monkey and Mantis. And weren't we supposed to head towards the Jade Palace so that we can make our stand there far more better against the wolves?" I said to Monkey and Mantis as they eventually reached to us.

"WRONG WAY?! WRONG WAY?! WHAT DO YOU MEAN WITH THAT WRONG WAY, CRANE?! BECAUSE I THINK THAT THE WRONG WAY IS NOW MUCH BETTER CHOICE THAN THE GOING WAY WE'RE AT THE MOMENT GOING?!" Monkey yelled frantically and still in some strange shock.

"Yeah! Quite poor choice of words from you, Crane! We cannot go to the Jade Palace... there's an ambush inside!" Mantis added, pointing frantically with his claws at the doors of the Jade Palace's gates... and he had the very same shocked expression in his faces as Monkey had.

Me and Viper... as well as Po's fathers and the pandas were dumbfounded/shocked after these news... especially pandas, as little Bao and Lei Lei, whimpering in fear, rushed to Grandma panda's arms for protection.

Lei Lei even called Tigress to her... though the poor children was unaware that Tigress was very busy at the moment.

Master Shifu then stood forward.

"What? An ambush? In master Oogway's Jade Palace? How dare they befoul the ancient air of the Jade Palace with their presence?! no one enemy of Kung Fu disgraces the honor of the Jade Palace with their foul and dishonorable presence!" Master Shifu said with the very furious tone.

Master Shifu was then about to move forward to the Jade Palace's gates, until he was halted back by both Monkey and Mantis.

"Master! NO!" Both shouted frantically.

I clearly saw that master Shifu was left dumbfounded, with his eyes widened by the surprise by his own students sudden act.

"What are you doing?! We must go to the Jade Palace and expel the intruders out of the Jade Palace!" Shifu protested.

"We know, master, and our apology for this. But these intruders are, or at least seems to be something we have never encountered before!" Mantis explained.

"They move so silently like they're invisible and they can appear out of nowhere like the ghosts before you can sat "banana"!" Monkey added frantically.

TIGRESS POV

I was at the moment in front of the great master Oogway's statue the panda dancer Mei Mei on my side, while we were holding off the large pack of wolves, whose pack filled nearly the entire Garden of Masters.

And to holding off the entire pack, which each member had the highly developed skills in the physical skills and swordsmanship, we needed to give them everything what I and Mei Mei got to defeat them one by one.

But still, fighting against even one pack member of their pack was like I was fighting at the same times two or even three wolves. And fighting against three of them was like fighting against nine wolves at the same time.

They constantly directed their either straight or lateral slashing- and stabbing strikes with their swords and long spears at me, giving me the difficulties to either block, turn away and finally fend off all of them one by one.

I got several small cuts from the edges or tips of their spears and swords blades to my sides and to my arms, leaving my beautiful golden hanfu tattered, but I was not definitely gonna allow small cuts in my flesh and the slight pain to slow me down.

Some of them tried even to deliver the straight, lateral or hooked kicks towards my head to send me into confusion, and leave me at their mercy. However, with the years of training under master Shifu's teaching, though with some difficulties, I narrowly managed to dodge or block every attempt against me.

Some of the wolves even tried to throw their spears and fire their arrows at me from behi9nd of their front lines while I was distracted by the wolves... only for me to pull myself for temporary out of the fight and fend off their spears and arrows.

However, I at least managed to hold them back by doubling my attacks and swiftly, repeatedly plus aggressively swinging my swords at them.

I was once attacked by five wolves, four with the swords and one with the pair of daggers, at the same time by using the "distract and attack" technique, which was put into action as two of them with the swords attempted to attack me from two directions at the same time and lifted up their blades above of their heads with the intention to land them on me.

However, I lifted my swords above of my head when they eventually pulled their swords over of their head and were about to land them fatally on me. However, I managed to block their blades with my own blades, though they landed their swords bladed onto my blades a quite harder than what did I expect.

The third one of them attempted to use this as his advantage and attack me while my guard was down.

However, I lifted my left leg up and directed it to land hard onto the wolf's toes once the villainous lupine had landed in front of me and in between of his friends. The wolf let out the loud yelp in pain after I landed hard my leg onto his toes and dropped his daggers to the ground.

And once this one was distracted for a while, I grabbed to the opportunity and pushed my arms and their swords upwards, causing the wolves to let their guard down and expose their stomachs, after which I lifted my right leg up and performed the barrel roll on my left leg to my right, directing and delivering to direct kick to every wolf's stomach as I rolled around.

And after the kicks, I landed my right leg to the ground, but soon after that I lifted my left leg and and extended it to backwards towards the fifth and remaining wolf, kicking him to the stomach and sending him to fly onto his back to the stairs.

And when there was two dozen wolves attacking me from the stairs...

"MEI MEI! NOW!" I called as I pulled myself out of the battle and jumped backwards into the air... much to the wolves surprise.

However, the wolves realized too late that they had fallen victim to my trap for them...

...because as I jumped out of the way, Mei Mei charged at the wolves with her pair of nunchucks.

Using her speed and developed handwork with the nunchucks, Mei Mei swiftly and repeatedly swung her nunchuks loose ends from side to side, directing their blunt ends first to the wolves wrists, backs of their paws and knuckles to disarm the wolves and finishing them off with the direct and hard strikes to their faces and chests one by one, either knocking the wolves aside or sending them to fly against their fellow wolves or against statues or then to the feet of the stairs. And when even more wolves attacked her, Mei Mei increased her speed and raised her handwork with the nunchucks nearly beyond of her limits that left to wolves no time to go the encounter-attack against her nor gave them no time to strike her with their weapons. And within mere ten seconds, Mei Mei had already knocked out roughly over two dozens of wolves that lied all around in front of master Oogway's statue and the third dozen was lying in the feet of the stairs, unconscious and beaten.

The panda dancer also performed the backward somersault in the air, swinging her nunchucks from down to upwards, knocking her weapons loose ends to beneath of the next and big one's chins and knocking him out...

...and after Mei Mei had landed back on her feet, she extended her arms quickly forward and towards the wolf while rapidly spinning the loose ends of her weapons in her paws and knocking with their blunt ends to the wolf's stomach and sending him to fly against hisfellow flea-coats, causing them to roll along the stairs to downwards as the ball-like pile of wolves.

However, three-four wolves had managed to evade of getting pulled along with the ball-like pile of wolves, and they had angrily barking and readying their weapons for the killing blows attempted to attack Mei Mei.

However, before they could carry out their attacks, I charged at the wolves to protect Mei Mei's left flank from the wolves.

I defeated first one, who was about to slip Mei Mei's head with his sword, with the powerful punch in middle of the wolf's faces...

...I defeated the second one nearly as easily, with the exception that this wolf nearly sliced my stomach open with the swung of his sword targeted at my upper body, which I narrowly dodged and got only the cut to my outfit from the sword's tip...

...after which I turned around and delivered the hard hook kick from down to upwards with my left leg to the wolf's chin, before I finished the wolf by leaping with my right leg up to the air, performing the barrel roll again in the air and delivering the kick to the wolf's head's right side... causing him to fly quite roughly against master Oogway's statue, knocking him out.

The rest of them, two last ones, were not completely aware of me, and they attacked at me together.

Placing my own blades aside for a while, I charged at the counter-attack against the wolves.

One of the wolves tried to slice the front of my thighs with his sword's tip, but I jumped over the incoming blade and I landed to all fours to the wolf's right side, before I hurried pass him and towards the other wolf with all my fours.

This wolf tried to stab me to my back with the straight strike from up to downward with his spear, as it rushed towards me and raised his spear over his head, getting ready to stab me with it.

However, though it was too close for me to have the lethal stabbing wound to my back, which could have killed me if I wasn't faster, I managed to hurry out of the spear's way before the wolf managed to stab its sharp tip into my back.

And once the wolf was a bit confused of my speed, I hurried to behind of its back and jumped into the air... turning around in the air and delivering the straight kick to the wolf's back, sending out of the pain yelping wolf to fly against its sword-wielding fellow wolf, knocking them both out.

And once I had dealt with the wolves, I heard Monkey and Mantis saying something about the ambush waiting for us in the Jade Palace...

...and I turned to the rest of the guys, while Mei Mei watched my back by knocking with her nunchucks the incoming wolves heads, knocking each incoming and attacking wolf out one by one.

"HEY GUYS! WHAT'S GOING ON OUT THERE?! WHAT'S IN THE JADE PALACE OUT THERE?!" I called to the others, but I never received the answer from them until...

"TIGRESS! LOOK OUT! BEHIND YOU!" Mei Mei called hurriedly and a bit in panic, though the panda dancer barely even showed fear during the entire struggle, even in the front of the pack of these dishonorable panda-murderers.

By my instincts and Mei Mei's warning scream, I turned around and I saw the gorilla behind of my back, trying to crush me beneath of the huge hammer he had raised above of his head and was about to drop it back on me with the crushing/killing force.

The gorilla then dropped its weapon towards me with its full strength... which, however, I was able to dodge before I got myself crushed beneath of its hammer.

Angered by the fact that he missed me, the gorilla angrily roared at me - like the one of his kind did back in the Gongmen City's Fireworks Factory, when it blocked my way to prevent me from rescuing Po from Lord Shen's mercy.

However, I angrily snarled back at it.

And once the gorilla's hammer had landed with its all weight and the gorilla's all strength, I immediately jumped to the hammer and ran upwards along the weapon's handling and the gorilla's right arm, before I jumped forwards into the air and towards the air space in the right side of the gorilla's faces...

...during of which, I delivered at first one hook kick with my right leg to the gorilla's faces, before I rolled myself in the air and delivered with both of my legs two hard kicks to my going with its eyes following the gorilla's faces.

My hard kicks into its faces, however, did not completely knock the gorilla out, only gave me time to recover, as I landed to the gorilla's shoulder and leaped from the gorilla's shoulder backwards into the air, and after one backward somersault, I landed on my feet to the ground.

I panted heavily and I nearly felt the weight of tiredness on my shoulders.

Really bad time to feel such of tiredness... while more wolves and gorillas were incoming.

CRANE'S POV

"HEY GUYS! WHAT'S GOING ON OUT THERE?! WHAT'S IN THE JADE PALACE OUT THERE?!" We heard Tigress asking from behind of us.

"Yes. What exactly is in there, which had made you two so shocked and frantic?" Master Shifu repeated the question with his own way to Monkey and Mantis.

It did not took long from both Monkey and Mantis to answer to this frantically.

"Well, there's eight apparently some kind of ghost-like..." Mantis started, before he was interrupted by Monkey.

"And seriously mean-looking leopards out there!" Monkey finished.

Something seemed to snap inside of master Shifu after he heard the words "eight", "mean-looking" and the "leopards" as if he had heard something about these guys, of which both Monkey and Mantis claims to be waiting for us in their so-called ambush inside of the Jade Palace.

However, both me and Viper were both dumbfounded and unimpressed of this.

"Ghost-like?" Viper questioned with the skeptical tone.

"Mean-looking? DUH!" I said, as skeptical as Viper.

And then, I went forward.

"The two of you have probably seen only a delusions in the darkness, or the spooky shadows of the mere wolves created by the lighting out here, nothing more." Was my only response to Monkey's and Mantis' claims.

And after that, I turned to Viper and nodded my head towards the gates of the Jade Palace, suggesting her to come along with me.

"Come on, Viper, let's go take a look." I said, as I started to walk without worry towards the doors of the Jade Palace.

"Right behind you, Crane." Viper said, as she willingly slithered along the ground after me.

And we two headed towards Jade palace's doors, leaving Monkey and Mantis with master Shifu.

"Were they really leopards and was there right eig-?" I heard master Shifu asking more information from Monkey and Mantis with the high doubts... until he was suddenly interrupted by the single glance of me and Viper heading towards the gates of the Jade Palace.

"Hey! Crane! Viper! Were in the earth you're going?!" Master Shifu called after us.

However, master Shifu happened to ask right now when me and Viper had reached to the doors of the Jade Palace and we pushed one of the doors together to open, so that there would be the gap in between of the doors, big enough for both me and Viper to fit in and go inside.

"WOAH! CRANE! VIPER! YOU TWO REALLY DO NOT WANT TO GO IN THERE! SERIOUSLY!" Both Monkey and Mantis screamed after us with the warning tones.

However, me and Viper had already went to inside through of the gap in between of the doors.

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**

 **I HOPE YOU ENJOYED OF READING THIS.**


	23. 23: Nice headgears Part 2

**********CHAPTER 23:********** **NICE HEADGEARS PART 2.**

 **ENJOY READING.**

CRANE'S POV

And once we were both inside of the Jade Palace, we walked slowly, carefully and all our senses alerted for the possible ambush in the Hall towards the Moon Pool in the another end of the Hall of the Warriors.

I suggested Viper to coil herself around of my neck, just in case... and so that we can watch each others backs without getting separated from each others while investigating the Hall of the Heroes.

It was quite dark in the Hall of the Heroes, from which the wolves can easily take advantage of and both easily and inconspicuously encircle us from every corner under of the darkness.

And who knows if these wolves, probably hiding in the Jade Palace, were also using the shadow crowns like Heilang's wolves, making them completely invisible together with the darkness of the dark stormy night and thus turning the entire situation even worse.

However, when the bright lightning illuminated the entire Hall, there was no one on seen.

No sight of any intruder/attacker in the Hall.

The Hall of the Heroes - as well as the entire Jade Palace - was completely empty.

Maybe there was not any ambush set in here at all.

And maybe Monkey and Mantis had indeed seen only a delusions in the darkness.

"There's no one here." Viper eventually claimed to me, while she was still hanging around of my neck.

"And the way seems clear." I declared.

But suddenly, after one passed lighting, which had created my and Viper's shadows to the floor as it illuminated the entire Hall...

...the next and fresh lightNing, while illuminating the Hall, created the eight and out of nowhere appeared large, menacing- and ghost-looking shadows with the bestial faces to the floor right behind of us, causing both of us to gasp in shock and surprise... and it caused me to stumble too hastily backwards after seeing those eight menacing shadows!

And then, I suddenly stopped stumbling backwards as I leaned against something strange standing behind of me... something that felt a hard chest-armor-like thing which was covered with the cape.

I hurriedly turned around to look behind of me and Viper to see, to which I had just leaned against.

And to both of our shock!

There was the eight mysterious and menacing-looking warriors, dressed and wrapped into the large blood-red capes and wearing upon their heads the wide chinese hats, to which had been attached the black and bestial-looking masks with their open mouths filled with the golden fangs.

They indeed appeared out of nowhere like the ghosts and we did not even heard their coming!

All eight warriors stared down at us with their menacingly glowing blood-red or golden eyes, even growling bestially at us.

And me and Viper stared back at them, under of the pure shock... as we finally realized that Monkey and Mantis weren't kidding at all about the "ghost-like" and seriously "mean-looking" warriors in the Jade Palace.

I started slowly, and yet struggling to keep my calm in front of these mysterious warriors, to back off towards the doors of the Jade Palace to get out opf here and to warn the others.

"Uh... hi, guys... and, uh... _**nice headgears**_." I said, though I don't know that why did I even said like that to them.

But, suddenly...

These eight warriors tossed the hems of their capes out of their way...

...revealing their quite fierce-looking weapons.

One of them had as his weapon a long double-ended trident-spear with the blood-red and the flames-resembling blades with to the tips narrowing serpentine blades and sharp-edged and -pointed notches.

The second one had a twin-bladed sword, which long and wide blades greatly resembled the wider and heavier version of Lord Shen's wolf-army's swords with the sharp-edged and -pointed notch in its outer edge, to backwards curving tip and three wave-like curved spikes in the blade's backside.

The third one had a large double-edged axe with a long bamboo handle, and he was also carrying on his belt two one-handled double-edged axes as a extra weapons.

Fourth and the first more slender one, who seemed to be the female, had a long spear with a long, curved and flame-shaped to the tip narrowing blade with the extremely sharp edges on both sides of the blade.

Fifth one and the second female of the group had the some kind of blend of long-handled nunchucks and long-bladed serpentine-shaped sword blades like the ones these wolves were using, giving them a nickname nunchaku-swords.

Sixth one of them, male this time, had a thick and long-handled dual three-section staff, with the blood-red dragons heads with their fanged mouths open in both of the weapons' handle-sections ends.

Seventh one had a long chained chain-hammer, one of which seemed to be forged into the shape of the squeezed fist, which had three lines of spikes in the knuckles. And another hammer was forged into the shape of the open paw with a nasty-looking long and extremely sharp sickle-like claws.

And the last one leopard a huge Twin-Bladed Glaive, which blades resembled greatly Lord Shen's symbol... the blood-red Flaming Sun... with the error that only one side of the symbol having the blood-red beams made the blades to look more like flaming red fireballs.

And after revealing their weapons to us...

...one of them wielding the clawed chain-hammers, waves his weapons from the chains to upwards form the ground, before he swung his weapons chains towards us, and sent his clawed chain hammers towards us!

"FLY!" Viper screamed.

Viper did not need to say twice!

I immediately took off into the air space of the Jade Palace, before the chain hammer's claws smashed to the ground, where I had stood a moment ago, digging their claws into the jade floor... narrowly missing my legs.

And after I had leaped into the air, I opened my wings and I started to float in the air space of the Hall of the Heroes... and I floated behind of the western line of the jade pillars for some cover.

"HEAD TO THE DOORS! WE NEED HELP, NOW!" Viper said frantically.

I couldn't agree more, and I quickly made the quick flight over these warriors as I turned around and headed towards the doors of the Jade Palace to get some help for me and Viper against these guys, whoever they were.

During of which, the same guy with the chain hammers tried to take both me and Viper down from the air with his chain-hammers, at first pulling them back from that spot of the floor where I was standing a moment ago and to where he had at first directed them, leaving the deep dent and the hideous claw marks to the jade floor...

...after which he spun them both in his paws and above of his head before he swung it at me and Viper.

However, he missed me and Viper with the second attempt:

The spiked fist-shaped one smashed into the jade floor right in front of us, narrowly missing my beak and leaving the cracking dent to the wall, and prompting me to fly from beneath of it.

And the second incoming chain-hammer dug its claws into the jade wall right behind of me, narrowly missing my legs and talons. But when the leopard pulled his weapon forcibly off the wall, the claws of that chain-hammer took a part away from the wall due to the strength of the pull.

But in the third attempt, the same guy hurriedly swung his both fist-shaped and clawed chain-hammers couple times around of his and his group's heads, before he loosened more chains and swung them after me and Viper, preparing to take us down by wounding me with his chain-hammers claws.

I noticed this and I increased my flying speed to get faster out of the way, though the speed of these chain-hammers seemed to be surprisingly and amazingly a bit faster than my own flight!

And I started to lean sharply to my left to fly through between of two jade pillars at the same moment as the fist-shaped chain-hammer was targeted and directly swung towards us.

I narrowly managed to avoid getting hit from the fist-shaped chain-hammer, which hit hard to one of the jade pillars I just passed through, smashing the middle part from the closest one pillar into the pieces and sending the small jade boulders at me and Viper, which slightly made my flying difficult, as well as my concentration

After which, the leopard swung his clawed chain-hammer in the straight from upwards to downwards directed strike towards me.

That was the close call but, however, I managed to narrowly get out of the way of the hammer before it could land on my back and fatally claw my back into the shreds!

VIPER'S POV.

After me and Crane had narrowly survived from one of these mysterious warriors chain-hammers, I turned to look behind of us at these eight mysterious warriors...

...until I saw a new threat, which they were about to send against us.

One of them using the large axe grabbed to his a double-edged axes and pulled them off from his belt for the use, combining their blunt ends together and forming and double-headed ax with the double-edged blades, until he surprisingly separated the weapon's long handling into the three sections like with the three-section-staff with the double-edged ax-ends...

...while the nunchaku-swords wielding female warrior attached her nunchaku-sword's handles into each others, to make it a connected weapon.

And without the warning, they both suddenly - along with the one wielding his twin-blade sword - threw their weapons towards us, making them to swirl laterally and rapidly in the air (like the present-days boomerangs) and they flew towards us from three directions at the same time, and coming dangerously close!

Crane immediately took the action to avoid towards us flying and twirling blades.

However, it soon turned out to be much difficult than what I at first thought.

At least the connected nunchaku-swords suddenly snapped off each others, splitting into two separated and towards us laterally flying and twirling weapons once again!

One of them was twirling in the upright position and heading towards Crane's neck, while another was was twirling in the lateral position and was coming from downwards towards us, threatening to chop off Crane's right wing.

"LOOK OUT!" I screamed.

"WINGS OF CUNNING AND AGILITY!" Crane cried...

...as he quickly rolled himself in the air while rising to higher upwards as the twirling blades were about to get to the deadly impact with him, but Crane managed just narrowly to avoid his right wing being chopped off by from beneath of us flying twirling blade and his neck being sliced in half by in the vertical position flying and twirling blade - as well as I narrowly avoided to be chopped in half at the same time, as the blade was about a one small inch away from my skin...

...but even though Crane managed with his flying skills and speed to avoid both the twirling blades, which passed us to our left side, Crane kept flying in the vertical position and in the arch upwards towards the ceiling of the Hall...

...with which he managed to just narrowly to avoid the out of nowhere from beneath of us appeared three-section-staff with the double-ended -edged axes, which we realized was flying with the twirling movement towards us and had threatened to chop Crane in half from beneath of us.

Crane made the birds usual flying backward somersault in the air, before he tried to return back towards the doors of the, and it seemed that we were safe...

...but, however, I spotted the long twin-bladed sword with the twirling movement appeared out of nowhere under the darkness, and was about to make the deadly impact with Crane's head, threatening to beneath him!

"LOOK OUT!" I screamed again, though I knew that I had spotted the twirling and towards us flying weapon too late!

Crane tried to turn the direction to avoid being beheaded!

He managed to avoid the blade, yes...

...but just extremely narrowly, because they twirling weapon's blades sliced his hat in half instead of beheading him!

"WHOA! MY HAT!" Crane lamented, though I think that Crane should to thank his luck that he was still alive and with head!

However, I realized too late that the blade had instead turned out attention's away from the double-ended and -edged ax as it was coming back straight towards us!

The ax's blade unexpectedly, suddenly and roughly hit to Crane's feather-blades on his left wing and the impact caused him to lose his balance in the middle of the flight and roughly roll over in the air, and now he was falling freely downwards the Hall's floor his backside ahead.

However, once we have roughly pulled on our backs in the air by the ax-weapon, we both saw all the owner of the dual three-section-staff with the dragon-headed ends leaping in the arch over the air towards us, making with the rapid speed numerous somersaults in the air along his way...

...and his cape going along with him made him to look like in the arch in the air flying ball...

...until, right at the next bright lightning outside, which illuminated the entire hall, the mysterious warrior straightened up from the ball into the position like he was preparing to deliver to both of us the kick, now when we both were at his mercy!

During on the way, the warrior swung his three-section-staves forward, the loose end of his staves following his it wielding paw's movement...

...twisted his hips...

...pulled his weapon wielding paw backwards...

...recoiled his left leg...

...pulled his weapon wielding paw a bit upwards above his head...

...and extended his for the kick prepared leg rapidly forwards...

...as well as pulled his weapons wielding paws both downward and forward, towards both me and Crane.

The combined strike with the kick and his three-section-staves loose ends struck to Crane's stomach, causing my poor fellow comrade to fly with the rapid speed towards the doors of the Jade Palace...

...and we both collided to the still-closed door quite roughly and our backs ahead, and we fell to the feet of the doors... both of us under of the high-leveled pain both from the impact against the door and from the combined strike of that warriors kick and the strike of his weapons end to his stomach.

However, from two of us, I recovered more quickly than what poor Crane did.

And once I had recovered from the impact, I saw that all those twirling weapons were flying towards their owners in the other side of the Hall, who then leaped into the air to crab their weapons from the air.

They of course did not attack us... but, I found out soon that they did not even need to attack us.

Once the three-section-staff with the double-ended and -edged axes wielding mysterious warrior had once again combined the sections of his weapon together, making it once again the strong staff, he separated their blunt ends from each others and placed them back to his belt to wait for another time to be used.

The leopard then grabbed to his larger ax and positioned it into the lateral position with two paws and stretched his weapon forward as two other mysterious warriors, armed with double-ended trident and spear, started to run towards the ax wielding warrior behind of him.

They eventually leaped together over the warrior and landed on their feet to his ax's long handle.

Impressively struggling to keep their balance on the long handling without the any kind of difficulty, the ax-wielding warrior recoiled his arms back before he, with all his strength, extended them to upwards...

...as the both mysterious warriors standing on the handle leaped themselves into the air, and yet towards us!

"Crane! Crane! Hurry up! Get up! Get up!" I hurriedly and nearly in panic urged Crane to get up.

However, much to my shock, Crane was still overcame by the pain in his stomach.

"I can't! Get out of here!" Was Crane's only response...

...even though he tried his best to get up on his feet, trying his best to ignore the pain in himself from the combined strike of the kick and the three-section-staff's end to his stomach, though his every attempt to stand up failed by ending to the grunt in pain and he fell back against to the doors.

And meanwhile, those two mysterious warriors, who had just leaped into the air and towards us...

...unexpectedly threw their trident and spear with all their strength straight to us.

We both gasped in shock!

Both the trident and the spear were coming straight towards us!

And we just followed their coming, with our eyes widened and our bodies paralyzed by the shock!

However, we quickly snapped out of our shock as the spear and trident were really close of us!

"WHOA!" Crane let out, as the spear missed with one extremely small inch his head, and sunk into the door in the next of his head.

That was very close!

However, before Crane was able to sigh out of relief, the trident suddenly hit him to the area of his head!

"CRANE!" I gasped in shock, as I though that Crane had got the deadly strike to his head from the trident!

However, to my relief, the trident's flame-like blades had - but extremely narrowly - missed his head, but they had captured Crane's neck between of their blades and pinned him against the door of the Jade Palace.

And because the blades that had caught Crane's neck between of them had sunk into the wood of the door, the narrow space between of the weapon's blades had left too little space for Crane's neck to breath, making him to struggle to free himself and get some breath!

"GET... SOME... HELP, VIPER!" Crane urged with the choked tone, as he kept struggling to free himself.

I did not waste the time, so I hurriedly slithered outside through the cap between the doors to get some help from the others.

Fortunately, master Shifu, Mantis and Monkey were already waiting outside of the gap.

"I guess that you and Crane found out the hard way that we weren't kidding about the..." Mantis, still standing on Monkey's shoulder, was about to say apparently in the teasing tone, until I interrupted him by angrily standing up and hissed at him.

"You two got lucky, because you didn't need to witness them and their abilities from more closer and nearly got yourself killed!" I hissed angrily.

"No get inside of the Palace! Both of you! Crane needs your help!" I added, as I passed them and Po's fathers, wounded Po and the rest of the pandas, who had gathered together around of one of the pillars on the right side of the Jade Palace's doors.

I headed to the top of the stairs leading to the Garden of Masters and the post of master Oogway's statue, where Tigress and Mei Mei were still fending off the wolves.

"Tigress! We got the death-serious problem up here!" I called her.

TIGRESS' POV

Because the space on the stairs leading to the porch area of the Jade Palace's gates was narrowing, I told Mei Mei to retreat to the top of the stairs and stay there as backup if I need... while I stayed to hold off the wolf pack on my own.

One of them tried to attack me with the brutal force by leaping on me and pin me to the ground with its own weight.

Two other wolves tried to do the same thing by jumping towards me from the air, while another two or three charged at me, with intention to grab from my arms to ease their comrade's task to bring me down.

However, I quickly dodged first two towards wolves by bowing down out of their way, so that they flew over me and landed roughly against the flat level in middle of the stairs behind of me.

I then grabbed to the wolf hanging on me and lifted him above of my head with all my strength I got.

I let out the loud roar with all my rage at now, as at the same time the bright lighting struck behind of me, creating from the the shadow over the temporarily of my roar shocked and frightened wolves.

I used this as an advantage...

...and while still holding the wolf above of my head, I jumped to the air and made myself roll around in the air, extending my left leg and wiping with the one lateral kick two of the wolves and yet with one straight kick with my right leg to the third wolf's face, taking all three wolves out.

And then, I turned around and with all my strength I tossed the wolf I held above of my head towards those two wolves I just managed to dodge, as they were about to get back on their feet. And the whimpering wolf I just tossed against them, took them with him over the stone railing of the stairs and their fell downwards along the mountainside... apparently to their deaths.

I was then attacked by the very same gorilla, who immediately tried to crush me beneath of his massive fists.

I jumped out of the way of its fists, as they landed with the heavy force against the ground next to me, that it send the small rocks to fly around.

Enraged for missing me, the gorilla tried to crush me beneath of his fists yet again.

And again...

...and again...

...and again...

...and again.

But I managed to dodge the each attempt with which the gorilla tried to kill me.

But, even though I was too too flexible and agile against the gorilla's brute strength, I was unable to find the weak spot in him, which I could use as my advantage to make counter-attack against the gorilla, because he raged too rapidly and nearly out of his self-control while trying to strike me.

The gorilla also tried to hit me with the lateral strike with his fists, but I managed to avoid being hit by his massive fists by jumping out of their way before his fists even managed to touch me.

And when trying to strike me with his fists and brute force did not worked, the gorilla tried instead grab from me in order to tear me apart in his arms - at least he tried to three-four times to grab me, but once again I managed to dodge the each attempt with my agility.

I had to dodge and jump out of the way of the gorilla's attempt to grap from me, until finally...

...the gorilla had carelessly opened his defense, giving me the good opportunity for the counter-attack.

And, before the gorilla had time to realize the mistake he had done, I bounced on my paws and then back on my legs for a couple times, before I was standing on my legs right before the gorilla...

...and then, I jumped upwards towards the gorilla's faces. And with that, I delivered my famous "Tahlia Leap" by making the quick backward somersault and delivering the hard double-kick to the gorilla's chin, causing him to learn backwards and to struggle to keep his balance.

And seeing this, the wolf pack behind of the gorilla started to fall back to avoid getting crushed under of the gorilla's weight, if he suddenly loses his balance and falls backwards over the wolf back, trapping them beneath of his heavy weight.

However, as I landed on my feet, I took an advantage of the gorilla's unbalanced state by pulling my into the fists squeezed paws back and delivering my hard double-punch to the gorilla's belly...

...causing the gorilla, not only to roar in pain, but also to completely lose his balance and fall - or more likely, fly - backwards and over of the pack of wolves, trapping at least a dozen wolves beneath of his weight.

The gorilla's massive and nearly unconscious body blocked the stairs and halted the wolves onward course for temporarily, allowing me to have temporarily time to gather my strength and even catch some breath.

"Tigress! We got the death-serious problem up here!" I heard Viper suddenly calling me.

My very first reaction to that the very last word "problem" that I wanted least to hear right now, was the high leveled frustration... like the guys up there weren't at all aware of my own situation down here.

And as more wolves were coming over the gorilla's body and were about to engage me, I quickly turned to Viper to response to her somehow.

"DON'T BE LIKE I GOT NO TROUBLE DOWN HERE?!"

And with that, I turned my attention to my next opponents... while picking my swords into my paws from the ground...

...which I had lost after some one of these wolves had swung from Training Hall's armory picked Kusarigama's chained sharp-edged metallic ball towards me and had managed to hit to the feet of my swords blades, roughly and painfully bending my wrists in the process and causing me to drop my weapons in pain.

And with my swords in my paws, and two wolves raising their own swords above of their heads in attempt to slice my head in half...

...I swung my sword from down to upwards, making my blade to meet with the wolves blades with the full force and advanced by knocking the swords off from the wolves paws. And once the wolves were disarmed, I lifted my right leg up, twisted my hips, recoiled my leg and extended it straight kick to the wolf's stomach, sending him to fly aside and on his back to the ground. I also finished off the last wolf by performing the hook-kick with my right leg, but not before bowing down and out of the way of the wolf's to the level of head lifted and swung lateral kick.

Another wolf then attacked me and attempted to behead me with his own sword...

...however, he failed, as I bowed down out of the blade's way, and I ended up to execute the same kick technique to this wolf as well.

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**

 **I HOPE YOU ENJOYED OF READING.**


	24. 24: Nice headgears Part 3

**********CHAPTER 24:********** **NICE HEADGEARS PART 3.**

 **ENJOY READING.**

SHIFU'S POV

I then entered by my turn inside of the Jade Palace through the gap between the doors...

...but not before Viper had slithered back to the gates of the Jade Palace and slithered back to inside of the Hall, right after Monkey and Mantis, who had went to inside ahead, after they had heard from Viper than Crane was needing for help.

And as I stepped inside, I first noticed all three, Monkey, Mantis and Viper, trying to free Crane's neck from between of the door and the spear-like weapons, which looked just like the trident.

However, the trident itself was, or at least seemed to be stuck, as its blades had sunk deeper into the doors wood... keeping for the breath struggling Crane pinned against the door.

This brought for Monkey, Mantis and Viper difficulty to their attempt to free their comrade.

However, as they were getting ready to pull the trident off the door and free Crane, but before they even pulled from the weapons long handle, it was suddenly and apparently without an kind of difficulty pulled off the door by some one pulling with one paw from the rope tied around of the trident's another end... freeing Crane in the process.

I followed the trident's flight over the air space of the Hall of the Warriors, until some shadowy figure in the another side of the Hall simply grabbed the trident from the air into his paw and stood with it and with the seven other mysterious shadowy figures into the battle positions.

Meanwhile, Monkey was at the same time with Mantis and Viper helping Crane to catch his breath after being a some period of time pinned from his neck against the Jade Palace's door with the trident, before helping him up on his feet.

And once Crane had recovered enough, all four of them came to my side and stared at these shadowy figures in the opposite side.

"Master Shifu, who are these guys?" Monkey suddenly asked from me, as he kept staring at them his staff in his hands.

It was quite difficult for me to say that who were these intruders at all, because the entire Hall of the Warriors was under of the darkness and the moon was unable to shoot its beams against the Hall's Moon Pool's surface and illuminate the whole Hall with the moon's light.

However, as the bright lighting illuminated the entire Hall instead of the moon, it was enough to reveal me these eight shadowy warriors appearances and yet their identity, making me to recognize them immediately.

"The Warriors from the clan of the Leopard's Paw!" I gasped in shock and angered surprise.

"Warriors of what?" Mantis asked, having not listened.

"The Warriors of the clan known as the Leopard's Paw." I repeated, though I was more than just shocked and surprised that all those tales about the such of notorious clan called Leopard's Paw were actually true all of time.

"The notorious and extremely dangerous outlawed clan hiding in the deep of the snowy mountains far away from the reach of the arm of the law! It was founded over two decades ago by the influence of Tai Lung himself and formed from the army of both male and female snow leopards, all of them possessing the equal leveled Kung Fu abilities like Tai Lung and the very same darkness which master Oogway saw - and which I failed to see before it was too late - in Tai Lung's heart!"

"And these eight are the Elite of their respective clan, they're one of the most skilled and deadliest Kung Fu warriors on all of China!"

"Even more deadliest white assassins in their advantage-giving element... in the snow during of the season of winter!" I explained to my students...

...as I stared angrily at these warriors for befouling the honorable air of the Jade Palace with the influence of Tai Lung by their mere presence and by proudly bearing the symbol of unwelcome Blood-red Flaming Sun symbol of Lord Shen in their chest armors and their capes...

...and besides everything, as a new bright lighting illuminated the entire Hall, I saw even the dry blood in their weapons... which was not from Crane nor Viper, but from...

This the revelation of truth really angered me.

"Well, I guess that at least now we know the reason to Po's critical condition." Mantis said, as soon as he himself had seen the blood in these warriors weapons... as well as Monkey, Crane and Viper did.

And instantly, their shocked expressions on their faces turned into the outraged of such of the revelation of truth, and they locked their enraged eyes at these warriors, seemingly not caring how skilled these warriors would be if they engages them to the combat.

"STAY BACK! KEEP PO OUTSIDE OF THE HALL! AND CALL TIGRESS HERE IMMEDIATELY!" I sternly ordered Po's fathers and the pandas...

...as they were peeking inside of the Hall through of the gap between of the doors of the Jade Palace to see that what was going on, by extending my left hand towards them to sign them to stay outside of the Palace... mostly for their own safety...

...and especially to keep critically wounded Po away from these dishonorable assassins at all cost.

LI SHAN'S POV

As I peeked with Mr. Ping through the gap between of the doors to inside and overheard everything what master Shifu said about these eight strange warriors inside of the Hall of the Warriors, and saw master Shifu ordering us to stay outside for our own safety...

...I immediately ordered the rest of the pandas to back off from the door.

"What it is now? What's in the Jade Palace?! What is even happening out there?!" Mr. Ping cawed loudly, demanding to know that what was going on.

"Believe me, Mr. Ping. You do not want to know!" Was my only response to the goose father of my son.

Because master Shifu said that he needed Tigress in the Hall right now, someone had to deliver his call to her somehow.

And in this case, the task itself seemed to be given to me and Mei Mei, as she was still standing in the top of the stairs as backup for in the stairs still against the wolves and gorilla's fighting Tigress if needed, to be done.

And knowing this, I did not wasted the time with any second but turned to the direction of Mei Mei.

"Mei Mei! Tell Tigress that she's needed here right now! Master Shifu and the rest of the Five ran into something very bad inside of the Jade Palace!" I shouted to Mei Mei, asking her to call Tigress here at once.

Mei Mei nodded to me positively and turned to Tigress down in the stairs.

TIGRESS' POV

"Tigress! Master Shifu and the rest of the Five ran into something very bad inside of the Jade Palace! They need you up there!" I heard Mei Mei to calling me.

I growled loudly out of the frustration after hearing this!

Did not they really see that I did not have time right now, because they needed somebody to hold the wolves and gorillas back off, and I was extremely reluctant to give my job for Mei Mei, due to different levels of years of our training and experiences.

I have already had twenty years of training and experience, and Mei Mei only couple years of training and not quite lot experiences about the fighting,...

...despite her in the short period time increased skills in mastering the nunchucks, and with the exception of her training of alarm time for fending off Kai's jombies back in the Battle of the Secret Panda Village.

I cannot risk letting her to get hurt or even killed because of that.

However, interrupting my focus to fight against the wolves started to truly frustrate me!

"HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT I GOT MY PAWS FULL DOWN HERE!" I growled, as I was engaged by five wolves all at the same time.

I spun myself to my right to deliver to one of three wolves attacking from my right side my double-punch technique, sending the wolf to fly against the others, knocking them over, and then I quickly turned around again and delivered the kick with my right foot to fourth wolf's stomach, sending him to aside.

However, these four had took my attention away from the fifth one, who unexpectedly attacked from my left flank and swung his ax towards me, surprising me by knocking my swords out of my paws, after which, the wolf took an advantage from my surprise and delivered the hard kick to my chest, sending me to fly onto my back to the ground.

I then remained in the ground, gritting my teeth in pain and holding from my stomach with my paw.

Though the kick was not strong enough to push all air out of me, it was still hard and painful kick.

And before I managed to recover from the sudden strike, the wolf charged towards me and raised his axe above of his head... trying to kill me with it as I lied on the ground at his mercy.

And to the ax-wielding wolf was joined by two others with the spears, as they raised their long weapons upwards, preparing to stab me to death with them.

"DIE!" The wolf barked!

I only angrily glared at the wolf with the angry growl...

...to show him that I wasn't afraid of death.

But, however, before two of the wolves even managed to kill me, Mei Mei leaped over me and towards the wolves with her hips twisted and her right leg recoiled before she extended it forward, delivering to the ax-wielding wolf the hard kick to its faces... causing the wolf to lose a couple teeth and fly backwards, landing over his spear-wielding fellow wolf.

Mei Mei wasn't the only one who came in time to my rescue.

I also spotted master Shifu leaping from the top of the stairs towards the remaining wolf with the spear.

Using his training staff, Shifu swung its another head with all his strength and speed to the wolf's left leg's toes... causing the wolf to LOUDLY whimper out of the pain he felt in his toes and lifted his leg up to hold with his paws from the sore toes while howling in pain.

And while the wolf's attention was turned to his sore toes, Shifu, after twirling his training staff around of himself for couple second, eventually pulled his staff forward that its another end hit to the wolf's stomach, sending him to fly over his own kind.

And after that, master Shifu turned to me.

"TIGRESS, GO! THERE'S A DEATH-SERIOUS PROBLEM IN THE JADE PALACE, AND YOU NEED TO ASSIST THE REST OF THE FIVE AGAINST THEM!" Master Shifu said to me, before he turned to Mei Mei.

"AND MEI MEI, YOU GO BACK TO THE REST OF THE PANDAS AND PROTECT PANDAS AND PO AT ALL COST!" Shifu ordered Mei Mei, before he turned to along the stairs towards us incoming attackers.

"I'LL TAKE CARE OF THESE FOUL FIENDS!" Master Shifu declared and he stood against the entire wolf pack in the Garden of the Masters...

...while Mei Mei helped me back on my feet.

"But master..." I tried to protest, because after witnessing these wolves own increased skills of their own strange martial arts, I was worried about that my master and father-figure could be overwhelmed by the superior number and highly developed combat skills of these wolves.

"GO! NOW! LEAVE THESE DESECRATORS TO ME!" Master Shifu dismissed me, before he turned back to face the pack on his own.

Though I was reluctant to just leave my master and father here and more willing to stay and fight alongside with my master and father against the overwhelming number of the wolves and gorillas, but with Mei Mei urging me to do what I was told and yet the fact that I was honor bound to do whatever master Shifu tells me to do without the question, I was kind of forced or self-forced to go.

And so, while Mei Mei rushed to the pandas, I jumped on all my fours and rushed towards the gates of the Jade Palace to see that how death-serious situation there was that my fellow Kung Fu warriors and friends needed my help there.

However, when I was passing the pandas, Po's fathers and critically wounded Po...

"Stripey Baby."

After hearing this, I immediately saw Lei Lei, who had escaped from Grandma-panda's arms after seeing me passing them as I headed to the doors of the Jade Palace, was coming towards me with her arms spread and with the frightened look in her sweet face, telling me that she was frightened of both the violent thunderstorm and this entire attack upon us, and she was seeking the comfort and protection from someone like me, rather than from her own kind.

My heart melt after a one glance of those frightened faces of that sweet little panda.

I immediately turned around so that I could take the little panda into my paws.

And little Lei Lei immediately squeezed Po's action figure's of me and Mantis into his arm and curled together in my arms.

She even grabbed with her tiny paws from my hanfu and was unwilling to let go of me... nor even let me go.

"Stripey Baby." Lei Lei whispered with the tone, from which I realized that how frightened the little panda really was.

"Shhh! Shh, little one. Don't be afraid, I'm here." I said with motherly and comforting tone...

...though I knew that I was right now needed elsewhere and that I was too busy to watch after Lei Lei right now... no matter how much I wanted to keep this little panda in safe in my arms...

...especially hold her in my arms and play with her in the warmth of the student barracks and in my room, out of this heavy and cold rain and out of this violent thunderstorm raging out here at the moment...

...and especially out of the reach of these savage monsters, who does not even have the heart or compassion for something so small and innocent like Lei Lei and they would not hesitant to slaughter her despite her being just a little girl...

...and I knew that some evil and unspeakable monstrous peacock would NEVER spare even the infant pandas!

But because I was right now needed in the Jade Palace by my fellow comrades, with the reluctant feeling - and even with the such of pain which every mother or mother-figure would know and feel within their hearts, though I wasn't even Lei Lei's biological mother but a close mother figure...

...I started to walk towards the pandas, mostly towards Grandma Panda, and I fell down on my knee as I handed over Lei Lei into her arms.

However, as I guessed, Lei Lei was more than just unwilling to leave from my arms, she did not even want to be separated away from me.

And that's why she constantly pulled me back from my hanfu, wanting back into my arms and and not wanting me to go away from her.

And because of that, I was unable to stood up on my feet and go to the Jade Palace, but I did not wanted to force little panda to let go off me.

I knew that I needed to say something to Lei Lei to make her somehow to feel safe with the rest of her kind while I'm myself gone for while.

"Lei Lei, please. Try to understand. I'm badly needed in there. I have to help my comrades in the big problem whatever it is. "But I heard that it is some kind of death-serious problem and they need both my lead and my assist... and I can't take you with me in there, because otherwise I would just put your life in the terrible and life-threatening risk and that's what I definitely don't want." I explained, through it was extremely hard for me to even resist Lei Lei's nearly crying sweet faces.

Her sad and nearly crying look - as well the entire situation which is separating me from Lei Lei, nearly caused even my own eyes to go watery.

"And that's why you better stay here with other pandas. Po's father's are going to get you out of here... all of you... to the village both in safe and out of this fight. They will take you to the village's doctor, where they hand over Po under of the doctor's care. So, once you have reached to there, stay there inside, because I can find both you and Po right from there in the first place. In fact, stay all of time with Grandma Panda. She will take good care of you while I'm solving with my fellow warriors this so-called death-serious problem in the Jade Palace. And once this is all over." I said to Lei Lei.

I reluctantly but yet gently removed Lei Lei's tiny paws off my hanfu, before I gently placed both my paws to her soft and furry cheeks and looked at her into her beautiful eyes.

"Be save, Lei Lei dear. I will come back for you. I promise." I said to Lei Lei, as I placed the quick and motherly kiss to the little panda's forehead, before I stood up on my feet and started slowly and reluctantly to walk away from both Grandma Panda and Lei Lei.

Lei Lei, however, still kept extending her arms towards me, trying to reach to me with the teary eyes, as I looked back at her with my own eyes in verge of tears too.

"Stripey baby. Don't go." Lei Lei pleaded.

I in fact hoped that I would not go away from her, but I had to, as the others needed me in the Hall of the Heroes.

"I'm sorry, my dear." I said, before I wiped my eyes dry from tears and turned completely away towards the doors of Jade Palace...

...and I pushed the opened door further inside to make the gap big enough for me to fit in.

MONKEY'S POV

We all stood in the line of four warriors in front of the inner side of the doors of the Jade Palace in our battle-ready positions...

...and with out weapons;

Crane having his wings feather-blades, as he had spread his wings in his battle-ready position...

...I was holding my three-section-staff combined together as one long staff, and I aimed with its another end the opposite side of the hall. And I was also ready to separate my staff into three sections and use it as the three-three-section staff if needed...

...Viper was holding in her tail for the vipers designed straight-bladed long dagger, with the ring as the handle of the weapon...

...and Mantis having his claws ready to slice everything into pieces, either wood or metal.

Meanwhile, in the opposite side of the Hall, all these eight mysterious leopard warriors were standing as well in the line of eight warriors and keeping their own nasty- and extremely sharp-looking weapons in seen and battle-ready, though they still kept glaring us with their mean-looking look in their glowing eyes.

And at this point, Tigress arrived to the Hall and joined to our battle-ready line...

"Alright, what kind of so-called death-serious problem we have here?" Tigress asked as she took immediately her own battle-ready position.

Using this time her swords instead of fighting against our next a new enemy with bare paws like she usually does - like we all do, except me, due to me having my staff with which I fight as much as with the bare hands.

Tigress held one of her swords in her backwards drawn paw, which she held in the same level with her head and aimed with it forwards at the shadowy figures in front of us, as well as she was holding her another sword in her forwards extended arm's paw, with which he also aimed at the shadowy figures.

However, Tigress soon started to break up from her battle-ready position, as she grew confused of these warriors shadowy appearances, as they were a bit difficult for anyone of us to recognize, due to the darkness of this dark stormy night.

"Who are these guys?" Tigress asked with confusion.

It was not until the next bright lighting illuminated the whole Hall, and the light revealed to Tigress these eight leopard warrior's true appearance.

"Woah!" Tigress gasped as she saw the fierce and quite mean-looking look of these warriors with their blood-red capes, their chest armors, their nasty- and sharp-looking weapons, their black bestial masks with their golden fangs and their wide headgears.

I saw that Tigress a bit eyed these warriors bestial masks with their open mouths full of the golden teeth along with their wide headwears.

"With the exception of those masks with those golden fangs, which reminds me at least eight times about something extremely embarrassing night in my entire life in the past*, I'll say that these guys, whoever they are, wear a pretty _**nice headwears.**_ " Tigress stated, a bit humorous tone...

...though she started with the embarrassed tone, as she claimed that these warriors masks reminded her of something what she considered the most embarrassing moment in her entire life in the past*.

However, both me and Crane nodded with agreement to this.

"Yeah. Me and Crane thought so too, Tigress." I stated as I kept nodding to Tigress.

"Well, at least I did so, Monkey. But now because I lost my own hat, thanks to one of these guys who sliced it in half, I think that they definitely owes me a new headgear as the replacement for my old one headgear." Crane stated, a bit angered for losing his own hat.

"I think we have other problems to worry about than the losing the hats just right now." Mantis said, reminding all of us about the presence of these mysterious warriors in the same Hall with us...

...as they had all started to approach us menacingly, as if intending to attack us already.

 **To be continued...**

 **I hoped you enjoyed the reading of this chapter.**

 ***These are references to the Kung Fu Panda: Legend of Awesomeness TV series episode, The Midnight Stranger. Idea came from the Mysterious Eight's masks, which are with their opened mouths full of the golden fangs based to Midnight Stranger's mask.**


	25. 25: Shifu VS wolves

**********CHAPTER 25. SHIFU VS. WOLVES**********

 **ENJOY THE READING!**

SHIFU'S POV

After about five-eight minutes since I asked Tigress to head to the Jade Palace to assist the rest of the Five and told to Mei Mei to get back to rest of the pandas, so that I could hold back the wolves and gorillas, which still kept coming from the Garden of the Masters...

...I soon realized that the odds were greatly against me.

The wolves had started to come out in the huge packs from everywhere to face me, even threatening to surround me.

And their overwhelmingly me overpowering number forced me to retreat from the stairs to the porch in front of the Jade Palace's gates.

And even there, the wolves managed with their huge number to surround me.

But luckily, all of them had targeted their full attentions to me, and not to the pandas, Po's fathers nor badly wounded Po hiding behinD of the pillars.

However, the wolves great number filled most of the stone porch of the Jade Palace and the upper end of the Stairs of Thousand Steps, that it blocked from pandas, Po's fathers and from Po the only escape way from the Jade Palace.

We were trapped in here!

And there was no sight about the Zeng, Hu nor the reinforcements.

"By Oogway! Where the heck is Zeng, Hu and the reinforcements?!" I asked from himself, as I tried to find both Zeng and Hu with his eyes...

...until I noticed that I was surrounded by two hundred heavily armed wolves and several gorillas... and even more and more of them was coming out of the shadows from everywhere to join to the circle of the wolves and gorillas.

And the, the wolves attacked me from every side of me.

Dozens and dozens of grappling clawed paws roughly grabbed to me from every side. I tried to fend them off, but there was too much of them. I received the various punches to my faces from the wolves, as they tried to get me to let my guard down.

I really hoped that Po would be at the moment able to fight with me and have my dear adopted daughter Tigress on my side. Three of us are the best defenders of the Valley of Peace - as well as the rest of the Furious Five - but the odds and the luck were both against us at the very moment.

The wolves even tried to disarm me by taking off from me my training staff... and they even took Oogway's dear staff, which I've held for him since my master's peaceful death, off me with the force.

That went too far gone!

In the name of Oogway, I would not let anyone to touch and harm Oogway's from the sacred tree shaped staff - not second time, after my final fight with my former student and adopted son Tai Lung.

And then, I doubled my efforts to have Oogway's staff back from these filthy dishonorable pooches!

"Let me go!" I ordered in anger as I struggled the wolves.

They only responded to my direct and stern order with the vicious though mocking laugh.

However, I was now more than just ready to show them that with whom they were dealing!

ME! As the Kung Fu master and the Grand Master of the Jade Palace, who had been trained by the creator/founder of Kung Fu and the Dragon Warrior themselves, and I both originally and personally trained the latter myself and who has advanced from each the great victories to another victories since his victory over Tai Lung, and he has through of all these years we've known each others advanced by receiving a new incredible skills and quickly advanced to the level in Kung Fu which surprisingly matches even Oogway's own.

"I SAID! LET! ME! GO!" I ordered, even angrier than ever, and I furiously and fiercely attacked to my attackers.

I managed to get the wolves caught off guard.

I first started from my fists, with which I delivered the punches against the wolves.

Even though for the old little red panda, my punches were strong enough to send each wolf to fly away from me.

First one punch sent one of the wolves to fly against to another wolf, sending them to roll down the stairs

Second one punch sent two wolves at time to fly against the other their pack members, one of them collided against two wolves and another one collided against three wolves at once, knocking the mall out cold.

Third one punch sent another wolf towards the feet of the group of seven wolves. The wolf I sent towards them with the huge pace, tripped four wolves off their feet before it bounced from the ground and flew against three others, knocking them aside.

Fourth one punch I delivered to the fourth with the long spear armed wolf with all my strength, that it knocked and sent the wolf to fly towards four-six wolves... causing the long spear in the horizontal position in the wolf's paws to catch all of them with the wolf... until they landed against one of the gorilla's stone-hard chest... knocking them out cold.

And once the area was much clear now, I started to deliver to the wolves all around of me one by one the strong Kung Fu kicks to kick them aside from me.

I leaped at first upwards, delivering the upright kick with my right foot to the wolf's chin, which was strong enough to send the wolf to fly over the air in the arch, until he landed on his back to the ground...

...until I quickly twirled around to my right side in the air, recoiled my left foot and kicked with it to the next wolf into his faces, sending to fly away from me, before I landed on my feet safely back to the ground.

Then I twirled myself yet again to my right side, extending my right foot and I tripped with it another wolf from my right side off his feet, causing him to fall on his side to the ground, and with the same move and pace to the left side of me, I lifted my leg to upwards and delivered the kick to from my left side attacking wolf's stomach, which sent the wolf to fly against another wolf behind of him, knocking them both off their feet to the ground. And after that, I remained to stand with my left leg momentarily, before I twirled myself again to the left side and delivered another kick to another wolf's stomach, sending him to fly away from me...

...until there was five of them left and who were standing right behind of me...

...I increased my speed to the high-level and executed two extremely quick twirls, one of which I directed to the right side of me while lifting my right foot up, and I made after first one immediately another similar movement, this time only twirling to the left side of me and lifting my left foot up.

The wolves hadn't excepted from me such of quick, unsuspected and unexpected attack like that, before felt the fiery kicks in their faces or chests, which were strong enough to knock them over to the ground and out cold.

However, even though I had managed to get rid of several attackers, I was unable to retrieve Oogway's staff until I got attacked again.

This time, along of them was two gorillas.

One of the gorillas tried to several times to grab to me or crush me to death with his massive fists, but because I was smaller and quicker than what the gorilla was, I with ease dodged the gorilla's each attempt. But I didn't dodge each of the gorilla's attacks, but I also blocked them with my own increased strength.

Frustrated of this, The gorilla charged at me and roaring out of pure rage, the gorilla lifted his into the massive fists squeezed bare hands above of his head and landed them with the full physical pace down towards me.

However, I quickly leaped backwards out of the way of the Gorilla's strike, as it landed with the all weight against the smooth stone floor of the porch of the Jade palace... and the brutal strength of the gorilla was enough to even break one of the plates under of the weight and knock couple tight plates off the ground, broken in half, of course.

However, after I had bounced backwards, I landed against couple wolves attacking from behind and I bounced from them towards the gorilla.

The gorilla saw me, but he did not manage to react to it in time, as I made the quick somersault in the air and delivered the series of kicks to the brute's chest... with the strength and speed, which caused the giant brute to step backwards step by step... until with my final kick, I sent the gorilla to roll down the stairs to the Garden of the Masters, taking with the plenty of wolves down along with him.

After witnessing his fellow gorilla and the wolves to fall down few by few in my hands, the another gorilla then sent at least ten wolves attack me.

Two of them attacked me at first, trying to swing their long swords towards me, attempting to slice my stomach open and behead me.

However, as quick as I was, I managed to evade their blades... but just narrowly.

A tip of one of their swords managed to cut loose my emerald-green ceremonial shawl of the grand-master of the Jade Palace... plus it managed to slice a bit my cape, narrowly missing my left side... and another blade managed to cut off some hair from my right brow, leaving also small cut to me.

However, after I barely managed to dodge both of their attacks, I leaped to the level of their heads and delivered the double-kick to their faces, sending them to roughly flew over to the ground.

And when I landed on my feet to the ground, next two of them leaped in the air towards me, one of them in attempt to deliver to me the kick while another one in attempt to strike me with the spear.

I narrowly dodged the spear's killing blow, after which I dodged the another wolf about to execute the kick attack to me by twirling to the left side and lifting my left leg upwards, delivering the strong kick to the wolf's stomach and sending him flying away.

Fifth wolf attempted them attack me from behind, but I managed with my left arm to block his sword-wielding arms, after which I twirled again to my left side, but this time I delivered the straight punch to the wolf's stomach and then the kick to the very same place where my punch had hit...

...and the wolf flew against two another in the gorilla's right side, knocking them all off the stone porch of the Jade palace.

The wolf with the spear, who had landed on his feet behind of me, attempted to pierce me with the straight strike with his spear.

However, I dodged the spear by quickly lunging at the wolf as his spear's sharp tip landed and get stuck between of the plates of the stone porch of the Jade Palace... and before the wolf even realized that what was going on, I delivered the kick to his stomach, sending the wolf away.

Two wolves more then attacked me, both of them at the same time, delivering the numerous kick- and punch-attacks to me.

With these high-leveled martial arts of their own, it even brought some challenge to me to block both of their attacks targeted on me.

However, four other wolves used this as an their advantage, which drove them to attack me all together, attempting to grab from me with their filthy fingers from everywhere of me and trying to pin me down against the ground with the strength of numbers and brutal force.

However, I had enough of this.

I gathered all my strength and at first grabbed from couple wolves from their outfits from the group around of me, and I used them as a living clubs against their own, as at first I pulled them with my increased strength downwards to the ground, before I pulled them back to upwards, knocking out with them all four wolves off me.

And then, I twirled myself around a few times while carrying the wolves still in my grasps along my twirling pace, knocking with their bodies with each twirl at least two wolves to the ground, before I tossed both of them one by one to the different directions away from me...

...and causing one of them to collide in his flight against three wolves at once, while another one flew against five wolves at once, knocking them all out cold and to the ground.

After I had finished with them, and with a new attacking wolves approaching me from each side...

...I quickly bounced my right leg from the ground, recoiled it, and quickly extended it forward one of the attacking wolf, kicking him to the stomach and sending him to fly to the ground, before I recoiled my foot again and extended it to backwards, kicking from behind of me attacking wolf to his stomach and sending him away.

Eight wolves then attacked me from every side.

I dodged one of their attempt to strike me with the sword by swinging it towards my head by getting to the ground, during of which I quickly extended my right leg and twirled myself around, tripping the wolf off his feet, after which I quickly bounced back up and delivered the kick with the same foot to the wolf's stomach, sending him in the horizontal position to fly against two wolves behind of him, knocking them all out and to the ground.

Two wolves then attacked me from front side and backside, one of which tried to strike me with the straight strike with his spiked mace, while the another one behind of me attempted to attack me with two of his swords.

However, I leaped upwards and over the mace-wielding wolf's head and out of the way of his weapon, as both of them attempted at the same time to strike me with their weapons.

However, they both quickly halted their strikes after they realized that they were about to strike each others with their weapons instead of me.

However, this allowed me the opportunity to make counter-attack, which I did by kicking the wolf to the back and sending him to fly against the swords-wielding wolf, knocking them both to the ground.

With my kick to the wolf's back, I bounced from it towards the next wolf with the staff in the in the horizontal position. I landed to the wolf's chest and delivered the series of four strong kicks to the wolf's chest, sending him with the fourth kick with my right leg to fly backwards and catch with his staff two wolves too with him.

I then landed on my feet to the ground...

...until I quickly sensed two wolves coming right from behind of me...

...to which I reacted my giving two hard backwards directed punches to their faces, knocking them both out cold.

And after I had dealt with them, the gorilla attacked me then.

Roaring out of pure rage, the gorilla at first swung his bare fists towards me, which I smoothly dodged by jumping out of his fists way, enraging the gorilla...

...before the frustrated gorilla then tried the similar technique like his fellow Gorilla had already done, as it lifted his into the fists squeezed bare hands above of his head and with all off his strength and rage, he draw his fists downwards with full pace in order to crush me against the stone floor of the porch of Jade Palace.

This time, I did not jump out of the way of the gorilla's fists.

Instead, I kicked the gorilla's left arm out of my way, before I grabbed from the gorilla's left wrist.

Though at first surprised, the gorilla quickly gave me the mocking grin, like believing that I have no match for him due to the different sizes and apparently different levels of strengths.

The gorilla opened his mouth and was either about to mockingly laugh or tauntingly ask from me that "What I was going to do now?"

Well, I did not give him the chance to do neither of them until I made my move.

Like I had done with Po back in his second day of training in the Jade Palace after being chosen the Dragon Warrior, bad memories with the bad blood which I and Po were both currently willing to forget, I lifted the gorilla above of myself and twirled him in the air with my increased strenght with full pace.

The wolves around of us were quite surprised of this, but they quickly recovered from it and kept attacking me.

However, I reacted this by swinging the gorilla from his left arm towards towards the wolves, landing him over of four of them and taking them all out cold at once. And after that, I bent the gorilla's left arm backwards by the similar way I had bent Po's left arm in his second day of training.

The gorilla wriggled rapidly, grit strongly his teeth and whimpered loudly as he felt the pain in his arm.

"Unlike those wolves, you clumsy brutes apparently haven't trained as much with the martial arts of your own as them, aren't you?" I asked from the gorilla, with the mocking tone after I seeing that these clumsy gorillas still favor the primitive attacks instead of the martial arts their very own.

And right after that, when four another wolves tried to attack me from the different direction, I grabbed from the gorilla's fur from his neck and swung him in arch through the air above of me and slammed him against the ground, landing him over these wolves too.

And after those four were done, I tossed the gorilla to the another direction, where he flew against two another wolves, knocking them both over to the ground and out with the mass of muscles of his body, but the gorilla itself remained to stand on his feet, though a bit dizzy.

The group of six wolves were then attacking from the right side, I lunged towards the gorilla, until I leaped towards his faces, twirled myself in the air to my right side and delivered the strong kick to the gorilla's head's right side, knocking him out and causing him to fly towards and land over the group of wolves, knocking the whole group over to the ground, from which they progressed by rolling in the ground and messing up with each others.

I then rushed to the gorilla and grabbed from his ankle...

...and I progressed by lifted the gorilla up and swinging him to my right side again, knocking out cold and aside five wolves attacking towards me from that direction, before I sent the gorilla on his stomach to the ground.

I then jumped on his back and grabbed from his nose, pulling his head backwards from his nose, just like I had done with Po back then.

"Where is you master?! Why isn't he here to fight his own fights instead of hiding cowardly somewhere?!" I Questioned from the brute, because if Po was right about telling us that Lord Shen had returned despite his apparent death, he must be there somewhere.

And that knowledge might be valuable, if we are going to finish something which was left unfinished back in Gongmen City.

"You'll get nothing from me, rodent!" The gorilla growled.

That, of course, was not the answer I was waiting for.

However, in fact, I didn't care, because I had much more important things to do than try to find out Shen's location at the moment.

However, I had some message for him before I deal the gorilla once and for all.

"Then go crawling back to him and tell him that he's not welcomed to the Jade Palace... and that he has to pull back his troops, get out of the Valley of Peace AND NEVER COME BACK!" I declared, before I tossed the brute towards the pack of wolves, which were standing near the edge of the porch of the Jade Palace.

And to make sure that the gorilla delivers my message for Shen as quick as possible, I lunged/leaped towards the gorilla, twirled myself around and delivered the strong kick to the gorilla - similarly like I had done with Po back then - which sent both the gorilla and the pack of wolves to fly over the porch stone fence.

My kick was also strong enough to sent the gorilla and the wolves to fly over the Jade Palace's tournament arena.

And with that, the way was once again clear, even though more wolves started to attack me from everywhere.

However, I finally managed to reach to my training staff, which I lifted over my head and started to twirl it above of me, as more wolves attacked towards me.

While I still twirled the staff above of my head, I pulled it to the direction of incoming wolves, knocking them with the strong knocks to their heads

And within less than ten second, I managed to knock with my training staff about sixteen attacking wolves out cold and to the ground...

...before I started to swing my staff to everywhere with the devastating consequences in the wolves ranks.

With first swing, I knocked out cold and aside three wolves.

With second swing, in which I twirled my staff with one hand, I knocked out and to the ground six wolves out at once.

And I executed the third one by leaping into the air with the staff, and landing in middle of the group of wolves that the another end of my staff, which was pointing to the ground, landed to the ground first.

And after the lower end of my staff had landed to the ground, leaving me to balance with my hands in the staff's long handle and in the level of the wolves heads, I twirled myself around of the staff for one time, while delivering the kicks to the wolves faces, knocking them to dizzy...

...before I landed myself on my feet to the ground, after which I twirled myself around for one time and I swung my staff's around of me along my pace, so that its another end, its upper tip, knocked out cold nine from all around of me attacking wolves.

And, with the third one swing, which I swung around of me with the speed I took out nine wolves out cold at once by swinging the staff

It was then, when one of the wolves took out from his outfit some shurikens and threw them towards me.

I failed to notice them in time, but I noticed them only then when they came out of nowhere.

Three of them sliced cuts through of my cape to my shoulder, left side and even to my back, causing me to gasp in pain as I felt the sharp blades of the throwing stars to cut my flesh... and yet one of them sliced my training staff in half.

And while the pain in my shuriken-caused wounds and the loss of my training staff distracted me, one of them delivered the hard kick to my back, which sent me to fly over to the ground and near of the pillars.

The kick to my back - right to the spot where my wound from the throwing star was located - was strong enough to strike much of breath out of me, which caused me to feel a bit dizzy and pant for the breath, as I started slowly to get up from the ground.

When I managed at least partially recover from the kick's effects, I saw Oogway's staff lying in the ground...

...and which was, much to ty shock and anger, nearly trampled by the incoming group of wolves...

...who were attacking me from three direction, and I was yet unarmed!

"MASTER SHIFU! CATCH!" I heard Mei Mei calling me.

I quickly turned to Mei Mei's voice direction and I saw Mei Mei...

...as she was about to throw something towards me.

Her nunchucks!

I quickly leaped into the air and grabbed them from the air into my both hands.

before I landed on my feet to the ground and turned around to face this new pack.

I then started to twirl the nunchucks loose ends with the rapid pace as I took the battle-ready position...

...during of which I started to show off to the wolves my nunchaku-skills to show them that it is not goot nor wise to mess with the high-leveled master of Kung Fu, by in a controlled manner changing my arms positions while still twirling the nunchucks loose ends and with directing them with my hands twirling them around of my body...

...before I took the final battle-ready position, ready to face the wolves, as they all attacked me without the hesitation.

One of the wolves attempted to strike me with his sword, but I gave not to him the chance for it, as I swung the the loose end of the nunchaku in my left hand towards the wolf, hitting him to the chin, before I swung the another hand's nunchaku's loose end's end to the wolf's stomach.

And right after that, while second wolf was about to attack, I swung my right hand's nunchaku's loose end towards him, knocking the word off from his paws, before I swung my left hand's nunchaku's loose end towards the wolf I just disarmed, knocking him out cold and to the ground.

Next wolf managed to get close to me enough to strike and attempted to behead me with his sword. However, I quickly and timely managed to bow down out of the blade's way, after which I made quick and devastating counter-attack, whacking with the nunchucks ends one by one to the wolf's left side and back, knocking him aside.

Fourth wolf tried the same technique like the latter, only ending up to mess my head, as I turned around to dodge this wolf's strike in the form of steep angle, until I swung my left arm's nunchaku's loose end towards the backside of his legs, tripping him off from them, and I finished the wolf off by the straight strike with my right hand's nunchaku's loose end to the wolf's stomach, knocking him with force to the ground.

And after him, two other wolves attacked me from above, having jumped into the air and they both lifted up their axes above of their heads in attempt to strike me with them from above.

However, I swung both nunchucks towards their weapons as they swung them towards me, wrapping the nunchucks chains around of their handles beneath of the blade, much to the wolf's surprise.

I swung the wolves around of me, before I released their weapons from the nunchucks chains when I tossed the wolves towards the ranks of their own, knocking nine wolves over to the ground and out cold... and at the same time, I knocked the wolves away from Oogway's staff.

I then leaped towards Oogway's staff before it would get...

...just when six wolves were about to charge towards me and the staff.

However, once I landed next to the staff, I twirled the nunchucks loose ends with the full speed and pushed them forward, both forward and upward, knocking out and sending all six wolves to fly into the air.

And after I had took them out, I sensed that two other wolves were about to sneak to and attack from behind of me with the daggers.

I quickly twirled the handles of the nunchucks around in my hands - only one time - to direct their loose ends to swung in arch over my shoulders and to the wolves faces, knocking the wolves in middle of their faces and knocking them out cold.

And then, I turned to Mei Mei's direction, from where I spotted thirteen wolves trying to corner the pandas, along with Po's fathers and wounded Po, with their swords... with the intent to kill them.

"NOT IN MY WATCH!" I said, as I picked Oogway's staff from the ground and turned to ran towards the pandas and the wolves!

The other wolves tried to stop me by swinging or throwing their weapons, or trying to deliver the kicks or punch-attacks of their very own martial arts...

...but I seriously had no time to fend off all of them, because I had to get to the pandas before the wolves manages to accomplish their dirty work!

So, I only ended up to dodge their attacks to keep my pace...

...however, I kicked a couple wolves our of my way with the strong kicks to their stomachs...

...bent one's arm backwards, with the force which would even dislocate the arm, which caused the wolf to yelp in pain, before it fell over to the ground...

...after which, I lifted the staff above of my head and twirled it in the air, knocking with it to the heads of three wolves, knocking them out cold...

...before I pulled the staff downwards and draw its another ends towards fourth attacking wolf's leg, tripping him off his legs...

...One large wolf then attempted to block my way and slice me in half with his sword. But, as he was swinging his sword towards me, I leaped out of the blade's way and up towards his faces, delivering two kicks to his head... one straight upward directing kick to his chin and one horizontal kick to the right side of his head, knocking the wolf out of my way.

And after that, I attacked from behind to the wolves surrounding the pandas and knocked them all out, one by one, from right to the left, with thirteen strong knocks with Oogway's staff to their heads, temples or backs of their heads.

And once these thirteen wolves were done and knocked out, I tossed the nunchucks back to Mei Mei's possession - with my thanks for borrowing them to me for a while - and turned back to still us by numbers overwhelming wolves to face them again...

...but not before turning to Po's fathers.

"How is his condition?" I asked with the concerned tone from Li Shan and Mr. Ping, because they were the ones who at the moment took care of wounded and half-unconscious Po.

"Master Shifu! She needs treatment and soon! He's getting worse!" Both Po's goose father and panda father said in the unison.

And that was true, we have wasted too much time of taking Po to the healer of the village, and thanks to this wolf invasion.

And not to mention about the Stairs of Thousands Steps being overrun by the wolves, blocking the only way out of here and surrounding us to ther Jade Palace.

"Retreat into the Jade Palace! Try to get into my room in the Hall of Heroes and stay there! It will be your last stand!" I advised them.

Pandas were, of course, confused about the sudden chance of plans...

...but both Li Shan and Mr. Ping were more than just shocked.

"INTO THE JADE PALACE?! BUT ISN'T THE HALL OF HEROES OVERRUN BY THESE INVADERS?!" Mr. Ping protested in panic and in extreme concern for Po's condition.

In fact, I couldn't agree more with him... especially now when the eight warriors from the clan of Leopard's Paw, the reason why Po was in such of bad and half-dead condition at the moment, were out there at the moment battling Furious Five.

And yet the wolves were blocking the pandas, Po's father's and Po's only escape way out of the Jade Palace by overrunning the Stairs of Thousand Steps...

...and they were pushing us with the great numbers backwards, straight - and strangely - towards the Jade Palace since the Training Hall.

This strategy of theirs was quite strange, like if they actually wanted all of us into the Jade Palace and into the claws of the Leopard's Paw's clan's eight elite warriors.

But, if our situation would be far more better than our situation at the moment, I would have never asked the pandas to retreat into the Jade Palace.

However, the great number of these wolves and the ugly situation like this left me no choice than to do what these wolves wanted us to do.

"DO AS I SAID, MR. PING! FURIOUS FIVE WILL GOT YOUR BACK IN THERE! AND IF THESE POOCHES WANTS TO CORNER US INTO OUR OWN PALACE, THEN SO BE IT! WE WILL NOT ABANDON THIS PLACE TO THESE DISHONORABLE INVADERS!" I declared.

"NOW MOVE! TO THE GATES OF THE JADE PALACE!" I rushed the pandas, as I started to myself retreat right after the pandas to the inner side of the pillars.

I sensed that the pandas a bit hesitated and yet even unwilling to go into the palace, at least now knowing that what was in there waiting for them... and after realizing that what these invaders in the Jade Palace had done to Po... which filled them in fear and hesitation to face the same fate as Po.

However...

"You heard master Shifu! Into the Jade Palace! Move, and stay together!"

I twirled Oogway's staff right then when couple wolves attacked me.

And then I swung the staff towards them with the extremely high pace... stripping one of them off his legs and knocking the another one with the high pace against the pillar, knocking him out at the same time... before I continued retreating backwards towards the doors of the Jade Palace.

I needed to watch the pandas backs when they still hesitating and slowly but certainly moved towards the gap between of the doors.

Li Shan, Mr. Ping and wounded Po seemed to remain behind to ensure that all of them made it into the Palace.

 **To be continued...**

 **I hope that all of you who read this story enjoyed this chapter...**


	26. 26: Five VS Eight Part 1

**********CHAPTER 26: FURIOUS FIVE VS. MYSTERIOUS EIGHT PART 1.  
**********

 **ENJOY THE READING!**

TIGRESS' POV

"THEY DID WHAT?!" I roared out of nowhere founded shock and anger!

"THEY ARE THE RESPONSIBLE OF PO BEING IN HALF-DEAD CONDITION?!" I roared against as I pointed those eight leopard-guys in front of us and in middle of the Hall of Warriors.

Monkey, Crane, Viper and Mantis... all of them, told me everything what master Shifu had told them about these leopards.

They told me that these eight were the snow leopard Elite Warriors of the deadliest and fearsome outlaw clan called Leopard's Paw, which was created two decades ago by Tai Lung's legacy and that all of its members, male and female snow leopards, possesses the equally high-leveled Kung Fu abilities like Tai Lung and the very same darkness which master Oogway saw in Tai Lung years ago, and that they worked as hired and the deadliest assassins all over the China...

...which I quite guessed already due to them bearing the symbol of the Blood-Red Flaming Sun in their capes and chest-armors.

In fact, I wasn't interested of their affiliations.

But what got my blood in my veins really boil out of my natural animal rage was the revelation through of guess - along with Po's critical-looking wounds and injuries as an evidence of it - that these guys are all alone responsible of Po's critical condition and that it is their fault that Po is nearly half conscious and what's worse, nearly even half dead!

Though I had a full control over myself, that knowledge really got my blood boil, and yet my anger raised to the extremely critical lever, which threatened to unleash my long ago under my self-control placed violent rage to loose.

I could feel how my tail started to swing from the side to another recklessly.

I could feel my claws forcing their way out from my paws fingers.

I even could feel my irises to narrow out of my animal rage.

And I even could hear me myself unleashing loud growls out of my mouth, as I glared in rage at these eight accursed murderers.

Even though I did not paid any attention to my friends standing next to me, I was sure that they were either shocked of my near-feral state and were even worried about me to be consumed my animal anger and to out of nowhere appeared lust of revenge against these warriors for assaulting and nearly killing Po in behind of our backs out there.

Lucky that little Lei Lei was not seeing my state.

"Indeed they did, or at least we believe so." I heard Viper saying, her voice full of concern for me after seeing me in this state.

"But they will pay for what they did to Po! We will make them pay or die trying! Right guys?" I heard Mantis suddenly saying determinedly and getting in Monkey's shoulder ready for the battle against these eight.

"I couldn't agree more, Mantis buddy! Let's see if these outlaws have a guts to face the Furious Five, the most famous and powerful team of Kung Fu warriors throughout all of China!" I heard Monkey immediately agreeing with Mantis.

However, I saw from the corner of my eye that Crane was the only one who hesitated of facing these warriors.

"Uh... I think that they indeed have guts of facing us. My sliced hat is proof of it." Crane complained.

"What's the matter, Crane? Aren't you scared?" I heard Mantis asked from Crane, like he was disappointed of Crane's attitude.

However, I saw from the corner of my eye that Crane gave to Mantis negative answer to his question by shaking his head.

"But a real Kung Fu master does not show any sigh of hesitation nor fear in front of the enemy, no matter how skilled they are." I heard him saying.

I also heard Viper letting out the deep sigh of worry.

"Guess I need to come with you to make sure you wouldn't get hurt just like Po." I heard her saying.

And then, they all looked at me, waiting for me to lead all them to the battle against these eight.

After all, I was supposed to be their leader now when Po was unable to do anything right now due to his critical condition.

"So, what do you say, Tigress? Shall we make them pay for what they did to Po?" I heard Mantis asking from me.

I didn't respond to this very soon...

but instead, I slowly but certainly lifted my paws towards my katanas in their scabbards hanging from my back...

...I wrapped my fingers around of their handles and grabbed from them with the squeezing grasp, which was strong enough to snap the neck with ease...

...and I started draw my swords slowly out from their scabbards...

...until suddenly, and completely unexpectedly to my friends, I quickly draw my blades out and spun them in my paws with the pace that my friends eyes were unable to follow with the blades extreme high twirling-pace...

...until I suddenly stopped it at the moment when a new lighting enlighten brightly the dark stormy sky... causing my blades to glow the lightnings bright and blinding light along my swords blades from the feet of the blades to the sharp tips, surprising my friends.

"DEFINITELY WE SHALL!" I growled loudly.

"FURIOUS FIVE, THE CHINA'S MOST SKILLED AND FAMED TEAM OF KUNG FU WARRIORS... TAKE THE POSITIONS AND ON MY MARK!" I sternly yet quite impatiently ordered my friends...

...as I took my battle-ready position, in which I coiled my left leg and extended my right leg to forwards, extended my right arm forwards and lifted my coiled left arm upwards, so that my katanas blades were in the X-position in my paws.

And my friends too took their battle-ready positions... with their own Kung Fu styles.

And so did opponent group in the another side of the Hall.

As the lightnings flashed brightly, rapidly and continuously in the dark stormy sky, briefly lighting the Hall of Heroes, we and our opposition glared at each others with the shared hostile hatred...

...and ready for soon to be legendary battle, which will be known with the name Deadliest Eight of Leopard's Claw vs Furious Five of the Jade Palace.

"ATTA'AAAAAAK!" I roared, as I lunged towards these eight outlawed warriors with controllable animal rage.

And one by one, the rest of the Furious Five followed me to the battle.

And once we made out move... these eight warriors made their move as well and attacked us all together.

MONKEY'S POV

We all followed Tigress to the fight against these warriors.

And I followed her with my three-faction-staff turned into one straight staff.

I followed with my eyes Tigress progress, as she attacked with the fierce fury against two of these warriors armed with the long spear and nunchaku-swords.

The leopard warriors both swung their weapons towards Tigress...

...but Tigress kept charging them like she did not even care their blades coming straight towards her.

I have to say that as Tigress carried out her attack by leaping towards the leopards and spinning herself around to make her move, I gasped in shock after I saw that the spear-wielding leopard's blade made the cut to Tigress' left brow and that the nunchaku-swords-wielding leopard's blades made with their tips two another cuts to Tigress' golden hanfu and even wounded her with two superficial cuts from her left side.

However, Tigress ignored those wounds and the pain of the blades cutting her flesh.

And instead, roaring out of her animal rage, Tigress carried out her attack by bouncing towards both spear-wielding and nunchaku-swords wielding female leopards, performed the swift barrel roll to her right and swung both of her legs one by one into the strong lateral kicks directed to the spear-wielding leopard's faces and to the right side of the nunchaku-swords wielding leopard's head, knocking them out cold.

"Cool move, Tigress!" I congratulated, as I moved towards two leopard warriors armed with the Double-edged ax and huge twin-bladed glaive.

I jumped between of them and prepared myself to a new leap, as these warriors raised their weapons and were about to land them upon me with the lethal force.

And when they did, I made my leap straight upwards, and thanks my training with the blades of the Training Hall, I managed narrowly-apparently evade their blades, as they landed against the jade floor of the Hall of Warriors...to the spot where I was standing a moment ago.

But after I had made my leap, I made a quick somersault in the air, before I was about to land on my feet to the floor.

And as I did, I landed over my enemies blades and pinned them down beneath of my full weight, managing to cause these warriors to release their grasps from the handles of their weapons and drop them to the floor.

And once they were disarmed, I pressed my staff's lover end to the ground, on their weapons blades, and I bounced myself into the air to swung around of my staff's while holding with both of my hands from my staff's upper part.

And, during the beginning of my first round, I squeezed my legs into the fists and I "punched" before I recoiled them together and eventually extended them forward the twin-bladed glaive wielding leopard's chest, sending him to slid along the slippy jade floor of the Hall to the another side of the hall until he collided with his head ahead agains tone of the pillars that knocked him briefly unconscious, before of which I had bounced from the impact against the leopard's chest and swung myself to my staff's another side and towards the ax-wielding leopard, to whom I performed the hard laterally performed doubled hook-kick with both of my legs to the left side of the leopard's head, 'causing him to roll around a couple times over before he fell knocked out cold on his knees, before he completely fell on his stomach to the floor.

"Man, I'm good!" I congratulated myself as I landed back on my feet to the ground.

MANTIS'S POV

I charged towards the leopard warrior armed with the trident-spear, as I followed Tigress to the fight against these mysterious warriors.

And the trident-wielding leopard warrior charged towards me.

As I looked at his glowing golden eyes, I saw them full of seriousness - not a sight of any intent to call me "small" or "cute".

I was quite cheerful of such of discovery, that finally there was even some opponents who take my appearance far more seriously.

Even Tai Lung or Kai the Collector did not take my appearance seriously, but instead, both of them called me "tiny bug" before Tai Lung with an unstoppable move blocked my Chi and Kai stole it from me by zombifying me.

However, I immediately snapped out of these thoughts when I remembered that we were in middle of the fight.

The trident-wielding leopard attacked my first by lifting his weapon into the finishing-off-position, pulled it backwards and draw it towards my direction.

However, he missed me, though he was quite close to hit me with it.

But the trident's blades strike against the jade floor sent some sparks to everywhere, including my back, which threatened to bother my focus for the counter-attack against that leopard in front of me.

And then, I carried out my attack.

"FEAR THE BUG!" I shouted my usual war-cry...

... as I leaped upwards with all my developed speed towards the leopard and kicked with the double hind legs in my left side to the leopard's chin, before I turned around and delivered another kick with my other double hind legs in my right side to the leopard's stomach... causing the leopard to gasp strongly as I kicked nearly all breath out of him, which caused him to bow down and hold from his stomach with his paws.

As I kicked the leopard's stomach, I bounced myself towards his trident, which blades had sunk and remained stuck to the jade floor of the Hall...

...and once I landed against the handle of the weapon, it bent backwards with all my weight... though I even wasn't that heavy, but rather with the weight of my bouncing force.

And once I jumped off it, the handle's upper end swung in arch over itself and hit its own owner's faces, as the leopard was about to stand into the vertical position, knocking the leopard's mask so hard that it caused him to fall backwards and eventually on his back over to the floor...

...while I landed safely on my legs to the floor.

"How bigger they are, they can be tricked and they fall down more easier." I stated.

VIPER'S POV

I followed Tigress forward to the battle...

...but I was instantly halted back, when I got as my opponent the chain-hammers, spiked fist in his left paw and the clawed arm in his right paw, wielding leopard warrior.

The leopard spun his chain-hammers in his paws with the rapid pace as he moved into the battle-ready position, before he suddenly swung his fist-shaped hammer towards my position with the straight from up to downwards, meaning towards me, directed strike.

I quickly dodged out of the fist hammer's way, before it landed with the crushing force to the jade floor next to me.

I sighed in relief, because the fist-shaped hammer could have easily crushed me to death to beneath of its weight and its spikes in its knuckles.

However, once I lifted my head, I saw that the leopard's clawed arm-shaped hammer was coming from my left side in a lateral arch towards me.

His first attack was in fact the diversion for me while he attempted to finish me off with his another at the same time launched attack.

However, by my reflexes, I managed to bow out of the hammer's way nick in time before it managed to knock off my head.

The hammer flew over me and hit to one of the Hall's pillars instead of me, sinking the extremely and even the jade-slicing sickle-claws deep into the pillar.

And then, immediately after the hammers had struck to the floor and the pillar, the leopard pulled both of his hammers back with the brutal force, that the fist-shaped hammer pulled some jade pieces off from the floor and the sickle-clawed hammer tore most of its hit spot in the lower part of the pillar off with it.

The leopard spun both of them above of his head for a minute, until...

He started to use his chain-hammers like Kai used his own jade-bladed chain-swords, but by a bit different way.

The leopard started to make with his from the chains holding paws such of movements, which gave to his hammers chains the violent waves, which constantly and alternately pulled and draw the hammers towards me with their full pace, strength and weight.

The extreme heavy strikes from the fist-shaped hammer with the spiked knuckles caused the deep and bad-looking dents and long grooves to the jade floor and wall, and each heavy strike from the fist-shaped hammer also caused even bigger and cracking jade pieces to break off from around of the dents all around of the Hall's floor and wall.

And the leopard's sickle-clawed arm-shaped chain-hammer, which the wolf both directly tossed and laterally or straightly swung towards me from every side and from above, caused with its numerous swings and strikes towards me the numerous long and deep vicious-looking and smooth claw marks to the jade floor and wall.

Every attack like this was directed carefully to everywhere where I was currently standing or to where I was going and under of the stormy night's darkness, causing the serious difficulties for me to even reach to my opponent and take the counter-attack to him...

...and his attacks with the chain-hammers that can both crush me or slice me to death forced me to pull myself back and double my efforts to avoid each to death leading strike with the chain-hammers targeted at me.

As the leopard kept swinging his fist-shaped and sickle-clawed chain-hammers from above and from each side towards me, I doubled my efforts and started to perform the swift evasive moves in every single attack the leopard delivered towards me with his chain-hammers. I even performed the narrow dodges through of between of the chain-hammers, if the leopard swung both of them from at the same time from the same direction towards me, leaving the narrow gaps between of them, which were narrow enough for me to go through.

His one missed attempt to hit me with his hammers caused one of his hammers' chains to coil around of one of the Hall's jade pillar, causing me to sigh in relief that my opponent had got his weapons stuck around of the jade pillar and at the same time left his guard open... and that he was now at my mercy.

I was now able to move towards the leopard warrior and carry out my counter-attack against him...

...but, however, with the violent pulls to backwards from his hammers chains, the leopard warrior pulled along his hammers a lower part of the jade pillar, around of which his hammers chains has been coiled around, off from the ground and the rest of the pillar, and swung it in lateral swing towards me at first.

I nearly got hit from the piece of pillar, if I hadn't by my instincts halted myself... and I managed narrowly to avoid the full pace in the air towards me flying piece of jade pillar.

The leopard warrior then swung his arms above of his head, and the hammers and the piece of the pillar followed his arms movement...

...until the leopard warrior swung his hammers straight towards me, along with the piece of pillar.

Suddenly, the leopard warrior did two quick movements with his chain-hammers chains holding arms by sending along the chains two waves, which loosened and eventually unwrapped the chains from around of the piece of pillar, and with the quick pull backwards from the chains, the leopard smoothly removed his weapons hammers and chains from around of the part of the pillar...

...and allowed it to fly with full pace and with all its weight towards me!

And because of darkness, I didn't saw the pillar coming towards me, not until a new lighting lightened the dark Hall.

I gasped in shock at the first sigh of pillar about landing on me, so I did my best to slither out of its way.

The pillar smashed with its full pace and weight to the floor, right in front of me, and it caused the part of the floor beneath of it to break loose and knock me aside.

And I also felt some sharp-edged jade-pieces flying from the ground piercing my beautiful just this morning created and changed new viper skin... causing me to feel pain all around of my body.

CRANE'S POV

I followed Tigress from the air to the battle, to watch and support my friends in this combat against these enemies when needed.

While Tigress, Monkey and Mantis seemed to fend them off well at first...

...I saw Viper to be knocked aside by the chain-hammers wielding leopard warrior, who had just tossed with his chain-weapons the part of pillar, which he had tore off from the rest of the pillar, to Viper's direction.

And now, when Viper lied in the ground curled like she was in pain, the chain-hammers wielding leopard, joined by three-section-staff- and twin-bladed-sword-wielding leopards, attempted all together attack Viper when she lied in the floor.

"VIPER!" I gasped and I swung myself towards the leopard trio.

While the chain-hammers swung his chains and through of them the hammers into the air and above of himself, preparing to swing the hammers towards Viper to crush her to death under of the weight of the spike-knuckled fist-shaped hammers...

...two other leopards, one of them wielding that twin-bladed sword, saw me coming straight towards them, and - after the dual three-section-staff-wielding one had pulled out of his weapons handles/loose ends the curved blades that resembled the Kusarigama weapon's blades - they reacted to my incoming by tossing their weapons twirling in the air towards me.

However, after already experienced this, I didn't halt myself and retreated but kept flying straight towards them.

I dodged both towards me flying and laterally in the air twirling three-section-staff's and twin-bladed-sword's blades, quite narrowly and nearly getting myself injured from them.

And as the chain-hammers-wielding leopard swung his hammers towards Viper, as she struggled against the pain in her to get off from the ground...

...I stretched my legs forwards and grabbed from both of the chains as I flew over the leopards...

...and I pulled surprised leopard warrior along with his weapons into the air, as I flew in arch to upwards and flew momentarily upside down near the Hall's ceiling, and my flight and its speed caused the wolf in the another end of his weapons chains to be swung upwards and get smashed against the Hall's ceiling...

...and as I flew in arch downwards, visiting very close to the jade floor before I rose back into the air, the wolf followed my "lead" and got in full falling pace smashed on his stomach against the jade floor, before I pulled him to upwards again.

And once he was in the same level with me in the air, half-dizzy and probably quite bruised in his battle-outfit, I flew around of him many times over and tied him up with his own weapons chains - by the similar way I had tied up Tai Lung with the roped of the falling bridge during the Battle of the Thread of Hope.

And after that, once my out of surprise taken down and tied up opponent was in a good package, I kicked him towards his other colleagues, who were at the moment focused to reclaim their from the air back to their owners twirling flying weapons, which reached to their owners possession at that moment when they were about to get hit from towards them flying fellow leopard warrior...

...leaving them no time to react to this and get out of the leopard's way until they eventually got hit from him and were all three knocked over to the jade floor.

TIGRESS POV

After I had dealt with my first two opponents, I attacked next the another leopard warrior, who was wielding the double-edged axe... as well as he attacked me.

The leopard warrior spun his weapon rapidly in his paws, as he lunged at me with the vicious fury, jumped into the air and lifted his weapon above of his head to deliver the heavy straight strike to slice me in half with one of his weapon's axes.

However, I leaped out of the ax way as it struck against the ground, to the spot where I stood a second ago, with the heavy-sounding _CLANG_!

The leopard warrior started then to make the numerous attacks on me with his ax.

The leopard swung his ax on me repeatedly and with the lateral and swings from side to another, and for a couple times the leopard spun the ax in his paws in front of him and above of his head, as he attempted for a multiple times to chop off my head or slice me in half from my waist or completely cut me in half with his heavy vertical strikes... or at least he hoped to slice me with his axes blades to my side or legs to wound me so that I would be far more easier to kill.

Even though the weapon's weight, granted by the wide double-edged ax in its end, caused the ax to be heavier, the leopard warrior used it like the usually such of heavy weapon wasn't even that heavy at all... and that he used the ax's blades weight to merely deliver the deadly strikes on me.

His rapid and constantly repeating yet heavy attacks forced me to rather dodge his multiple lateral and vertical swings with the best I can, but the retreating was definitely out of the question for the Kung Fu warrior, so I blocked some of his attacks with my katanas.

I got not even a change for the counter-attacks.

However, this ax-wielding leopard seemed to be both quick in his movements - he was even capable to dodge my own very few counter-attacks with my blades and kicks - and yet nearly tireless despite such of weapons weight in his paws.

Even though I wasn't able to hit this leopard, he as well wasn't able to hit me with his axes, which apparently frustrated and even infuriated the leopard warrior.

With the luckily directed hit with my sword's flat side to both of the wolf's wrists, I at least managed to disarm the wolf for a while... until he took his one-handled axes from his belt as his a new primary weapons against me.

However, to make odds from bad to worse for me, the leopard warrior suddenly lifted his axes upwards into the air and then, unexpectedly to me, he separated the handles in two pieces, in the end of each of which had the double-edged ax... and even after that, the ends with the axes were separated from the long handles, but they remained linked to the handles with the chain...

...forming from the one-handled axes the double-ended ax a nunchaku-axes, much to my shock!

And spinning these new form of weapons in his paws, the leopard warrior attacked me once again.

Despite showing to be skillful of using the long- and two- or one-handled staff-like weapons, this leopard proved quickly himself to be both strong and very skillful in the mastery of this new kind of nunchucks as well, even if these nunchucks had a double-edged ax-blades in their loose ends and even being exhausted by their apparent weight or without even injuring himself at the process while showing off and performing his skills with these nunchucks with the hard pace on me.

And because of the leopard's strength and skills, he had the full and complete control over the weapons, despite their heavy ax-ends and a very hard pace once he swung them towards me, because once I managed to dodge one swung, he immediately swung it towards me again, again, again and yet again.

The leopard targeted his each swung and his nunchaku-axes blades towards my head, my upper body and my legs, which I barely managed to dodge with the narrowly performed evasive movements, despite his ax-blades causing some narrowly avoided cuts to my hanfu.

The leopard then twirled his weapons in both of his sides and stood into the position, like he was about to make the heavy vertical strike towards me.

The leopard did so and he swung both the nunchaku-axes blades in the arch in the air and towards me.

I reacted to this by lifting my swords upwards to block the blades flight towards my head with the killing head-slicing pace and weight.

However, before I even managed to realize it, I was tricked to fall into the trap.

The leopard completely and surprisingly turned in nick in time his nunchaku-axes flight to another direction before they managed to impact to by blades, much to my confusion, until this move was immediately followed by the leopard turning quickly around before my eyes managed to blink...

...and once I was distracted by the leopard's sudden move, because I foolishly followed the blades with my eyes and not soon realizing that I was tricked and that I had left my guard open, the leopard lifted his right leg up as he spun around, recoiled his leg and suddenly extended it towards me, delivering the hard kick straight to my faces!

And the kick's force was strong enough to sent me to fly into the air backwards.

CRANE'S POV

"VIPER!" I called, as I landed in the next to Viper after I had defeated those three leopards.

"Are you okay?" I asked as I as about to help her up, despite I had still my feather-blades in my wings... Even though I took caution with these blades into account and I watched from hurting Viper with them.

I was totally enraged after I saw that what the sharp-edged jade pieces from the jade floor, sent to fly towards Viper by one of the leopard's chain-hammers, had done to Viper's newly created and changed skin... explaining to me the reason why Viper was curled in the floor in pain.

However, Viper refused from my help and struggled to lift herself up by herself.

"I'm okay, Crane. Small scratches on my skin does not..." Viper started, before she lifted her head up to look forwards of her, until her eyes suddenly widened.

"CRANE, LOOK OUT!" She screamed to me.

I lifted my head up to see that what Viper had just saw...

...until I saw Tigress to fly towards us her back ahead, like she was just kicked to fly over the air.

I managed just in time to bow down out of Tigress way, as she loudly roaring flew over me towards the doors of the Jade Palace.

"TIGRESS!" I shouted in shock as I stood upwards and looked after Tigress fly over the air.

Tigress' fly eventually stopped as she roughly slammed against the doors of the Jade Palace, and fell on her butt to the floor in the feet of the doors.

Tigress remained to sit down and against the door and she lifted her right paw up on her head and started to rub the possible sore places on her head after getting kicked into such of fly and being roughly slammed against the hard and tight doors.

"Hang in there, Tigress! I'm coming for ya!" I said and I prepared to take off to the air.

And it was then, when I heard Viper warning me about something in near panic-like attitude.

"CRANE, LOOK OUT!"

I broke my preparations to take off into the air and turned around to see that what was coming for me.

However, that was all what I was able to do, as I saw the spear-wielding female leopard coming towards me.

The female leopard warrior had already leaped up into the air and now he was flying towards me.

And once she was about to land to the spot where I was standing, right in the beginning of the leap the leopard warrior had performed the barrel roll and was spinning around to her left side, during of which she had recoiled her left leg and before I even managed to realize it, the leopard extended her leg forwards and delivered the hard kick to my chest...

...and her kick was strong enough, that it sent me to fly straight towards the doors of the Jade Palace.

I was roughly slammed against the doors before I fell on my butt to the ground in the feet of the door, just to the next of Tigress.

MONKEY'S POV

I witnessed much to my shock my comrades being taken down one by one...

...and it seemed to be like I and Mantis were left to stand.

But now, I had no time to worry about that, because I was already myself in the similar trouble like them.

I was attacked by twin-blade-glaive-wielding, twin-bladed-sword-wielding and nunchaku-swords-wielding leopards all at the same time.

I was at first struggling with the twin-bladed-sword-wielding female leopard, who had processed by kicking me with several kicks hard to my chest and sending me with every kick hard against one of the pillars of the Hall, against of which he pinned me.

The leopard then attacked with the vicious rage by swinging her nunchaku-blades to both of his sides and then swinging them back into the lateral strikes from each side towards me, to which I reacted by swiftly leaping upwards out of her blades way before they could both cut me in half and behead me at once, leaving two smooth grooves into the pillar.

I started to climb around of the pillar, to which, however, the twin-bladed-sword wielding leopard from my left side reacted quickly and with the extreme rapid pace, by bouncing towards me and starting to swing his twin-bladed-sword's blades towards me, slicing four-five nasty-looking smooth grooves to the pillar while trying to reach with them to me.

After I had climbed around of the jade pillar for one time, I eventually bounced off from it and landed onto the twin-bladed-sword wielding leopard's headgear, from which I bounced to the other direction and away from the leopard warrior... only to be encountered next with the nunchaku-swords wielding female leopard.

This warrior processed by positioning her arms into X-position and swinging her weapons long sword-blades towards my legs to slice them off.

However, I leaped again into the air out of their way... and after which I tossed my staff up into the air, carefully directed my spinning weapon to fly over the warrior's head, briefly taking the leopard's attention from me to my weapon, so that I could somehow sneak behind of the warrior for the carrying out my counter-attack.

And so, I leaped towards her, to the high level enough to be beyond of her reach, just in case while her attention was in my in the air spinning staff.

However, the leopard warrior did not allowed herself to be fooled so easily and once turning her attention from my staff to me once again, she reacted to my unexpected attempt to leap over head head behind of her quickly by swinging her nunchaku-swords blades backwards, in the attempt to slice off my head.

However, I started to fall down immediately, but still narrowly avoiding my head to be sliced off by this warrior's blades.

As I landed on my feet to the jade floor, I looked upwards and saw that the leopard warrior combined her nunchaku-swords' handles' blunt ends together to form from them the three-section-staff with two serpentine-shaped sword blades and started to spin her weapon rapidly as she lifted it above of her head, before she eventually grabbed from the middle section of her weapon and swung her weapon's loose ends with the blades in the lateral arch from her right side forward and towards me. in attempt to strike me fatally with them.

However, I quickly bowed down out of the way of her blades and performed a one quick somersault to between of her legs and rolled to the leopard warrior's backside, Just when her blades tips landed against the jade floor, sending some sparks from the impact of sharp blade against the jade floor... missing me and my tail.

And once I was in behind of the leopard warrior, I was then attacked by twin-bladed glaive wielding leopard... while the nunchaku-swords wielding leopard warrior turned around to attack me again.

As the twin-bladed glaive wielding leopard lifted his weapon above of his head and prepared to swing his glaive's blade towards me in attempt to slice me in two, as well as the female leopard lifted her nunchaku-swords up and into strike me with them... as well as twin-bladed sword wielding leopard pulled his own weapon backwards, preparing to deliver the stabbing-strike on me...

...I quickly leaped upwards, as their blades struck all together against the jade floor with the loud CLANG, releasing sparks from the impact.

And while my sudden move out of their weapons way got them all distracted, I turned myself upside down to grab my staff with my legs from the air, before I turned myself back to the upright position in the air.

And when these three leopards had finally realized that I had got out of the way of their weapons, they looked up and saw me... and it was then when I carried out my own counter-attack for them.

I performed the barrel roll by spinning myself and my staff in the grasp of my legs along with me in the air to my right side, making my staff's blunt ends to knock each leopard's heads' right sides... and right immediately after which I spun myself to my left side, that my staff's ends knocked all three leopards to either their temples, faces or the backs of their heads, knocking all three down and out cold at once.

I then picked my staff from my legs into my hands as I landed on my feet to the floor... and as these leopards fell on their stomaches to the ground all together.

I was about to sigh out of relief...

...but I never got the chance for it...

...as the twin-headed trident wielding leopard suddenly attacked from behind of me and started to swung his trident's flame-like blades towards me.

His two first swings with his trident's blades towards me nearly sliced my stomach open and the long cut crossing my faces, which I narrowly managed to evade.

The leopard warrior then processed by keeping swinging or stabbing with the trident's blades towards me, trying to reach with them on my throat and my head, attempting to stab in middle of my faces of slice my throat open.

His rapid and repeating attacks with the trident, each of which was very close to touch my golden fur and skin, forced me to go backwards and dodge his each attempt to take my life from me.

One his attempt to stab me with his trident, and that followed swung with the trident's blades at me, caused me to lean too much to backwards, that I lost my balance and was about to fall over on my back to the ground.

However, I managed to bounce with my legs to backwards and landed on my legs to the floor.

The leopard warrior attacked me again and tried to slice my back with the trident's blades, only to hit the empty air as I managed nick in time to bounce myself again backwards, so that I was able to land to the floor back on my feet, and out of the weapon's blades way.

After I had landed back on my feet, I hurriedly bowed down, as the trident-wielding leopard attacked again with another lateral attack as he tried to reach my head yet again with his weapon's blades.

However, after he did so, I managed to notice that he had at the same time and unknowingly to him left his guard open.

He was now at my mercy.

I took an advantage from the leopard warrior's sudden mistake by taking my staff and turning it quickly back into the three-section-staff, which loose end I then swung in the lateral and upwards directed swing towards my opponent and managed to whack him with the another end of my three-section-staff straight into the leopard's faces.

My strike into his faces was strong enough to cause my from my attack distracted opponent to fall backwards several steps.

But once he quickly recovered from my attack, thanks to his mask, and turned back to me... it was too late for him to make any kind of counter-attack against me, as I was already upon him.

"EAT MONKEY-FEET, PUNK!" I shouted at my opponent, as I lunged towards him, leaped into the air and flew towards him, squeezed my legs into the leg-fists and coiled my legs... and then... I extended them forwards with my full strength.

My "punch-kick" into the face of that leopard was strong enough to send that leopard warrior across the air space of the Hall of the Heroes...

...but I accidentally caused him to collide against the wooden altar, on which was resting the multi-colored collection of jade vases, into the sides of which the master Boar, called as _the Ancient One_ , had eternalized all his greatest battles, glorious victories over the cruel enemies and heroic deeds for the poor and helpless villagers... and yet that one of which contained his sacred-labelled ashes, as his final wish before the battle claimed his life.

The altar fell over from the impact with the armored leopard warrior and each vase fell to the floor, shattering each vase into pieces against the hard jade floor.

I felt awkward of this after I had accidentally destroyed the master Boar the Ancient One's entire biography telling collection.

Even Po breaking legendary Urn of Whispering Warriors was nothing compared to this.

"Uh, oh! Shifu's gonna kill me for this." I murmured.

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


	27. 27: Five VS Eight Part 2

**********CHAPTER 27: FURIOUS FIVE VS. MYSTERIOUS EIGHT PART 2.  
**********

 **ENJOY THE READING!**

MANTIS' POV

I was now standing against the leopard with the dual three-section-staff with the dragon-head ends.

We circled at first each other, trying to find the weak spot from one another and trying to use it against each other.

However, the leopard warrior attacked me first...

...and spinning his weapons in his paws, he tried to hit me with their dragon-heads end by swinging them towards me with the highly increased physical speed.

I jumped each time out of his weapons' way, but I got no time to catch some breath before the leopard warrior swung his weapons towards me after each strike, just like he does not seem to get tired at all... despite him apparently using quite plenty of energy to make such of super-quick moves.

And when his physical speed was increased to the high level, I noticed that my own pace was starting to ran out, and that I narrowly dodged his each attempt to strike me with his weapons.

The leopard saw this, and after I had leaped away from the leopard warrior to catch some breath, he immediately swung his weapons backwards, that his staves another ends flew in arch in the air and over his head.

I was quite confused that what was this leopard doing, until I suddenly found it out.

The leopard then draw his three-section-staves to forward and towards me, even though I wasn't even close to him anymore.

However, once his three-section-staves got straightened towards me, their another blunt end's dragon-heads suddenly and somehow released from their fanged mouths the massive and combined flows of fire towards me.

"WOW!" I said in shock and hurriedly leaped out of the way the flowing fire.

The flaming flow hit instead of me to the jade wall with the flaming explosion...

...but, right in that spot of the jade wall of the Hall happened to be Master Oogway's ancient painting, as well as the wooden altar, where master Shifu kept Oogway's staff when he did not need it. It was now all burned down after being kept in here for so long.

"HEY! HAS YOUR MOTHER SAID ANYTHING ABOUT PLAYING WITH FIRE?!" I yelled to the warrior, who was about to repeat this attack, and what next is gonna burn to the ash?

"BESIDES, THAT PAINTING HAS BEEN HERE LONGER THAN ANYONE OF US CAN IMAGINE!" I angrily stated, as I lunged towards the leopard.

As the leopard was about to straighten his weapons for another blast of fire, I landed in front of his feet and then jumped with all my increased strength upwards and towards his faces, grabbing with my claws his both paws into my firm grasp.

"FEAR THE BUG!"

I flew over his head, after which I was about to land to the floor behind of him, during of which I lifted the leopard off ground into the air, swung him over me and slammed him against the jade floor of the Hall.

The leopard let out the loud growling-like grunt after feeling the hard impact between of his stomach/chest armor and the stone hard jade floor.

And immediately after that, I took some pace and I kept doing it until I had enough of pace for my next move.

Once I had enough the pace, I tossed the leopard with all my strength forward and across the air space of the Hall of Heroes...

...but I accidentally tossed the leopard to fly through of the weapon stand full of ceremonial weapons, which caused the stand to fall over to the jade floor and all those weapons to loudly scatter all over the jade floor...

...after which the leopard's flight ended up as he collided his head - along with his masked helmet with the _nice_ metallic Chinese hat upon it - ahead against one of the jade pillars in the jade wall.

The hard impact, judged from the loud and deep-sounding CLANG-sound, in between of the helmet's hat and the jade pillar seemed to be enough to knock this leopard out cold, for a while, of course.

VIPER'S POV

I was meanwhile circling around with the spear-wielding female leopard, eyeing each other while trying to find some weak spot.

However, I guess that I had plenty of weak spots, because these leopards were quite good fighters with their physical skills and wielding their weapons... and yet this one was armed with the spear, while I was merely fighting with my whip-like tail thus with a bare hands... even though I do not even have a hands.

The leopard made her move first and attacked me.

The leopard at first targeted her spear's blade to my snake-waist with two and extreme quick lateral swings...

...which were followed by the quick stabbing-attack towards my faces. That strike came quite close to my faces that it forced me to lean backwards.

And with this, the leopard attacked my by spinning herself around to her left side using her fast foot movement and delivered the hard kick with her left leg to my stomach, sending me to fly backwards.

I flew/leaned against the stand, on of which "twice" repaired Urn of Whispering Warriors was resting, for support after my flight backwards.

I partially recovered from the stone-hard kick against my stomach and looked forward...

...and to my shock and surprise, I saw that the leopard lunged at me and swung her spear's blade towards my head to either slice my throat of chop off my head.

However, by my reflexes, I quickly managed to bow down and out of the blade's way.

However, I suddenly heard I heard something shattering into pieces both behind and above of me, which was soon followed by a few ghostly moans!

That sounded _too_ familiar!

I looked up, and I saw that Urn of Whispering Warriors had been shattered into pieces and the green mystical mist floating briefly above of the pieces before the mist vanished.

I can't believe that that certain artifact broke once again!

"Hey! Stop wrecking the fragile artifacts! That artifact you just broke was a legendary Urn of Whispering Warriors... And you do not want to know how long it took to repair it single tiny piece by piece..." I said with the scolding tone to the female leopard warrior, as she lifted her spear above of her head and landed it towards me.

"...after some _idiot_ once..." I kept saying, as I coiled my tail around of the spear's handle, right beneath of the blade.

"...and another _idiot_ after _him_ broke it again!" I ended, as I grabbed the spear from the leopard's paws and tossed it away.

"So please, don't wreck EVERY artifact in the Hall of Heroes!" I scolded the leopard, as I curled my body up together and gathered plenty of energy as I prepared my body for the counter-attack.

And then, I released myself curled position and swung my tail towards my enemy's legs, pulling them off from beneath of her, tripping the leopard and causing her to fall on her side to the ground before she managed to blink her eyes.

CRANE'S POV

I was facing once again that chain-hammers wielding guy.

Or, more likely, I was trying to evade his attacks targeted at me.

I flew in the air space of the Hall of Heroes, while the leopard with the chain-hammers remained in the ground...

...where he spun his chain-hammers in his paws and he tossed them to wherever I was flying.

The tight fist-shaped hammer with the spiked knuckles, which the leopard swung towards me with the direct attacks, left a quite wide damages in the form of dents and even the holes to the jade walls and jade ceiling of the Hall, and the fist-shaped hammers also "punched" the small jade pieces off the jade pillars with the lateral swings. And the open paw-hammer with the sickle-claws, which the leopard swung in the straight or lateral arches towards me, caused the deep and smooth claw marks from the hammer's extremely sharp-edged claws to everywhere it hit instead of me.

However, once he had swung them towards me one time, he started to rapidly wave the chains along his paws in circles in front of him after he had tossed both of his chain-hammers towards me and deliberately missed me, creating the round tunnel-like air space "inside" of the circling chains.

The leopard even combined his chains together while creating the tunnel in middle of them, blocking every cap between of each round of the chains and creating from them like the cage-like chain ball, which unexpectedly captured me "inside" of them!

This was too familiar experience from my first encounter with Kai the Collector, when he captured me by the very same way before he zombified me.

"THE WINGS OF "CALLING FOR HELP!"" I cried, as the leopard pulled his weapons chains back and tied me into the chains curled round around of me, and pulled me off my flight from the air and towards himself.

And then, the leopard started to swing his chain-hammers from their chains in his paws to everywhere and tossed me, chained in his hammers chains, roughly against everything in the Hall's of Heroes.

He tossed me against a many spots in the jade floor...

...against the jade pillars or even through of them...

...against the many spots in the jade walls...

...against the ceilings...

...until with the final swung around of himself and above of his head, he slammed me against the legendary Battle Rickshaw of Emperor Hawk.

Such of strike, along with the mass and weight of the hammers' iron fists, smashed such of beautiful ceremonial war chariot into pieces beneath of me.

But the impact was at least strong enough to release me from the chains.

However, the impact had pushed nearly all breath out of me, leaving me to lie on my back on the ground and over the remains of the Emperor Hawk's chariot's, panting heavily for the air.

And while I was down, the leopard swung his chain-hammers backwards before he swung then forwards and towards me, in attempt to both crush me to death between of the jade floor and his fist-shaped hammers' killing-heavy weight and slice me in pieces with the sickle-clawed hammer...

...and I was even unable to climb back on my feet.

However, as the chain hammers were about to hit me!

"CRANE! GET UP, NOW!" I heard someone saying, before I felt someone standing on my stomach.

I looked up... and I saw Mantis standing on my stomach.

MANTIS POV

I had noticed that Crane has been beaten to the ground by the chain-hammers wielding leopard, and that that dishonorable warrior had even tried to crush Crane to death by slamming his hammers on him so that Crane would get crushed to death between of the floor and hammers.

However, I managed to reach to my friend's aid as the chain-hammers iron fists were in the half-way away from Crane, and I stood on his belly to face the hammers before they would hurt Crane in any way.

With my strength, I knocked the hammers out of their flight and I knocked them to the another directions.

But, however, I grabbed from the hammers chains once after I had turned the hammers to the another direction.

And then we, both me and that leopard, started to pull the hammers chains to backwards with a "tug of war" style...

...the leopard's strength against mantis' through of years of Kung Fu training improved strength!

And once the leopard's full attention was on me...

"VIPER!" I called.

I saw that Viper obeyed to my call by slithering to behind of the leopard's back.

And with her extreme quick physical moves, Viper tripped the leopard off his legs from behind with her tail, before she carried out the kick-like strike with the tip of her tail to the leopard's back.

"TAKE THAT!" I heard Viper saying to the leopard during of her carrying out the kick to the leopard's back.

And, because the leopard was still holding from the chains with his paws as his attention turned from the "tug of war" to Viper's direction before Viper's kick-like attack, I a bit assisted Viper's attack by pulling with all my strength the hammers' chains to my direction...

...causing the leopard to be sent, through of the combined strength of mine as well as Viper's kick, to fly towards me across the air space of the Hall.

And as the leopard approached me through the air, I leaped towards him and delivered my double-kick to the leopard's chest armor, sending him to fly again across the air space of the Hall.

And on the way, the leopard caught from the air another leopard wielding the dual three-section-staff, who had recovered from my earlier strike, sneaked behind of Viper and leaped into the air and was about to release another "breath of fire" from his weapons' dragon-heads' mouths towards Viper from above of her!

Both the leopards collided against the wall, before they fell over to the ground.

And on the moment of the impact against the wall, the leopards had collided against the some artifacts, such like the master Dolphin's waterproof armor.

The armor fell off the wall due to impact and fell after the leopards to the floor... landing on their helmet-covered heads and probably, judging from the double-CLANG-sound from Master Dolphin's armor's impact to the backsides of the leopards helmets, knocking both of them out for temporarily.

MONKEY'S POV

I was a bit trouble at the moment.

Fighting once again against three opponents at the same time.

That twin-bladed glaive wielding one...

...along with the trident-wielding leopard...

and the last one with the staff with the nunchaku-axes, which that leopard had started to use as his new primary weapon after 'losing' his first ax.

They all attacked me with doubled efforts, doubled speed and all together... swinging their blades towards me like the maniacs, especially that trident-wielding one, who apparently had personal vendetta towards me for that kick I delivered for him.

And their rapid and tirelessly and unceasingly repeated attacks left me not much time nor chance to make my counter-attack, they only left me on the defensive, forcing me to rapidly retreat away from them and do my best to dodge their attacks.

I had at first engaged by the nunchaku-axes wielding leopard.

And I did not engage only that one, but I did also engage that trident-wielding one leopard as well!

Together, the leopards swung their weapons' blades towards me like the maniac in the blind rage.

The nunchaku-axes wielding leopard, despite his weapon's weight, had the full control over his weapons... which he used like the regular nunchucks, thought with far more heavier and lethal force.

But the trident-wielding one, whose attacks with his trident, compared to nunchaku-axes wielding leopard's heavy and hard attacks, were much more lighter and faster than what his fellow colleague's own. That's why his moves were like as fast as the wind!

I leaped backwards, trying to get out of the away of the axes and the trident's pointed blades as the leopards swung them towards me.

And once that trident-leopard attacked me, he delivered many times over and fast, maybe too fast to even barely dodge, the stabbing-strikes on me, that the sparks flew all over from the impact of the jade floor and his blade's steel every time I leaped out of the way of his weapon.

And the nunchaku-axes wielding leopard caused such of dents on the jade floor of the Hall each time he missed me with his nunchaku-axes.

Their attacks eventually forced me to use the Hall's pillars, even some Hall of Heroes artifacts, to cover myself against his heavy strikes.

And yep, the nunchaku-axes wielding leopard attacked me first - while trident-wielding leopard waited in the flank for opportunity for ambush - smashing off the bottom parts from each three jade pillars on his way.

And the pillars weren't the only ones which suffered the serious damage...

...as the leopard processed by chopping, or more likely smashing, with his weapons heavy ax blades each wooden stands standing in between of the the pillars into pieces, and even destroying or knocking off them to the jade floor several ancient artifacts standing on them.

For example, the nunchaku-axes wielding leopard smashed three wooden stands into pieces, on which was standing 800 years old mystical artifacts, which the leopard either badly damaged with his ax-blades or knocked them off the stands to the jade floor.

These artifacts were Master Cock's silvery hand-held war fans, which were made out of the silvery and extremely sharp feather-blades... which were then the most sharpest weapons of all over the China, that they were able to cut with ease the thick wood trunks and even stone with one swing.

...another one was Master Stone-Hard Rhino's mystical stone crushing battle gloves, which, when loaded with the energy of Chi, were able to smash down the most thickest stone walls and even make the mountains and the earth to open up and crack into the pieces...

Both Master Cock and Master Rhino used these weapons 800 years ago, one century after Jade Palace was founded and build by Master Oogway, when the evil sorcerer from the northern neighbor-land of China, Mongol, started the conquest against China by using the dark magic to resurrect from the hundreds of thousands various-sized boulders all around of the northern mountain area the unstoppable army of the giant stone golems, with which the sorcerer launched the full attack against the Great Wall of China, crushing with ease the northern defense as well as the wall itself and releasing his army on China.

Numerous villages and cities were wiped out and every army that was sent by Emperor to fend off this threat, ended only to be vanquished and crushed down with ease with the unstoppable progress further into the China, that without Master Cock's stone-slicing war fans and Master Stone-Hard Rhino's stone-crushing gloves, China would have been doomed under the tyrannical rule of the barbaric Mongolian sorcerer within week.

These two heroes were the only ones who dared to stand against the Mongolian sorcerer's invasion.

Master Cock and Master Stone-Hard Rhino fend off together against the entire army of apparently unstoppable golems... battling tirelessly and shattering with their mystical weapons the legions of stone-golems into pieces within week, until they reached to the source of the dark magic within the stone golems and defeated Mongolian sorcerer by destroying his staff that brought the golems alive...

...and as an result from the destruction of the staff, the army of golems turned into the lifeless boulders all around of China and the Mongolian sorcerer was sentenced to life imprisonment into the early version of Chorh-Gom Prison by Emperor himself to spend the rest of his life in there as punishment for his invasion against the China without a declaration of war...

...and the Masters Cock and Rhino were they were celebrated, respected and declared as heroes for their heroic actions for China.

And the third one was Master Mountain Lion's mystical Golden Mask of mystical roar, which enabled to its wearer the gift of intensely powerful roar, which includes the hurricane-like storm winds, which can be sometimes powerful enough to wipe out the armies, villages, cities and castles from the face of the earth easily, even to trigger a mountains shattering and the earth cracking earthquakes.

Master Mountain Lion had used this mask's, as Po would say, incredible power to protect China from the hostile threats, such like the groups of Mongolian bandits or even Mongolian armies, whom had secretly sneaked/invaded from Mongolia into China using the sorcerer's invasion as a cover, to terrorize the Chinese refugees and survivors from the stone golems attacks and take over the Chinese areas conquered by the sorcerer's golems.

"Hey! Stop destroying the artifacts of the Hall of Warriors! Those three were 800 years old... WHOA!" I scolded the leopard...

...until I was interrupted by a trident-wielding leopard, who totally unexpectedly attacked out of nowhere and nearly managed impale me with his trident's flame-like blades, if I had not jumped out of the trident's way fast enough.

I, however, managed to leap out of the trident's flame-like blades way before they managed to impale me, but the trident's wielding leopard's weapon's blades landed to the wooden altar, on which was lying on display Master Owl's legendary Scroll of Peace along with the golden quill, which is called in the legends "Q _uill that is far more powerful than sword._ "

And as an result of the trident's blades landing on the altar's flat top, the wooden altar was brutally shredded in two pieces, the Scroll's was also shredded along with the altar and the quill was snapped in half.

So much of those two artifacts.

And, angered of missing me yet again, the trident-wielding leopard attacked me even more fiercely.

He swung his triudent's blades towards me as I was standing on the ground, before I leaped out of the blades way and towards one of the pillars, as the leopard's trident's blades tips hit against the jade floor, scratching with the sparks three long cuts to the jade floor.

The leopard then realized that I had leaped out of his strike's way and lifted his head up to see that where I did go, until he spotted me hanging in the jade pillar.

Angrily growling, the leopard attacked me by drawing his trident backwards and then pulling a trident hard forwards towards me.

However, I bounced out of their way to upwards, to hang a bit higher above of the leopard head, upside down yet even, as the leopard sunk his trident's blades into the jade pillar.

The leopard them leaped upwards and towards me, after which he proceeded by swinging his trident's both ends towards me, as I bounced downwards out of the trident's blades way, which left with the sparks six scratch-like cuts into the jade pillar's surface.

After I landed to my normal position on the pillar, the leopard fell after me to downwards and swung his trident's blades in vertical swung towards me.

I hurriedly leaped then off the pillar, as the trident's blades tips scratched the pillar, sending the sparks to fly everywhere, and leaving three scratch-like vertical lines to the pillar.

And as the leopard landed on its feet back to the floor, he immediately spotted me once again in next to him, and reacted to it by suddenly drawing his trident upwards into the stabbing strike and then pulling it downwards and towards me.

I quickly leaped out of the trident's way once again before trident's blades tips struck to the spot, where I was standing a second ago.

I flew in the arch over the air, until I landed to next to the another wooden stand, on which was standing Master Antelope's 800 years old jade jar, which was filled with the ancient, quite rare and mystical thunder dust.

And in the next of stand, jar and the thunder dust was standing Master Antelope's mystical and powerful golden-red Banrai-Spear with the golden thunder bold-like blades in both of spear's ends, with which is said to be able to command the lightnings from the heavens and even enables firing the the powerful and thunderous bolts from its blades against the enemies... And it has also been said to enable its user to move faster than the sound.

It is said in the legends, that the thunder dust is, once ignited with the spark created from the impact of the tip of the Banrai-Spear's blades against something hard, stone or jade for example, able to teleport everything and everyone within the range with the speed of light to place to another...

...and the holder of the Banrai-Spear is also able to determine that to where he and everybody else around of him within the range are supposed to be teleported through of the react between of the thunder dust and spark.

Angered that the leopard missed me yet again, he let out the angry roar at me, before he turned himself around, lifted his left leg up, recoiled it, preparing it for the kick, and extended it towards me

However, as I once again jumped out of the leopard's kick's way, the leopard's brutal kick ended up to snap the stand in half.

And angered for this, highly enraged leopard then swung with both of his paws the trident's blades towards me, narrowly missing the tip of my tail, but hitting with the trident's blades to the side of the jar of the thunder dust instead of me. And the impact of the trident's blades against the jar's side was enough to crack its side and send from it the plenty of sparks into the air... as the jar landed quite roughly but mostly undamaged to the jade floor.

I witnessed this in the shock and with the wide eyes.

"HEY! CAREFULLY WITH THAT STUFF! THAT'S EXTREMELY EXPLOSIVE STUFF!" I scolded the leopard with the raised voice, because the thunder's dust was, as I said, extremely explosive stuff, able to explode from the single spark and even from a small flame of a candle.

Though the explosion, which is super-powerful, does not harm anyone within the range, in the outside it has extremely powerful effect to everything near and around of it... making from it not only useful but also dangerous stuff, especially in the wrong hands.

But before I managed to say anything else, the nunchaku-axes wielding leopard leaped out of nowhere and swung his nunchucks loose ends' axes towards me in the lateral arches in attempt to behead me and then cut me in half

However, I leaped out of the leopard's axes way, as they struck and then sunk into the jade pillar instead of me.

But once I made my leap, I quickly swung my three-section-staff's another end around of the jade pillar, from which I then grabbed with my other free hand and bounced up into the air.

My three-section-staff wrapped around of the pillar and the strength of my jump caused me to swiftly swung around of the pillar from the left to the right... during of which I swung myself towards the nunchaku-axes wielding leopard, who was now trying to pull his bladed off the pillar after they got unfortunately stuck.

The leopard of course spotted me swinging around of the pillar and towards me, but it was too late for him to do anything, before I delivered by doubled punch-kick to the leopard's faces, or rather his mask, and sent him to plump down on the floor.

...and it was either my punch-kick or the weight of the leopard's armor, that managed to pull his nunchaku-axes blades off the jade pillar, as he flew away.

And after the nunchaku-axes wielding leopard was out of the scene, and after I landed on my feet to the jade floor after that swung around of the Jade Pillar...

...I quickly gathered my three-section-staff's sections into my hand for a while, as I rushed towards the trident-wielding leopard, with the intention to get rid of him for good... or temporarily at least.

I proceeded at first by jumping on all my fours and at first running around and between of the trident-wielding leopard's legs with a doubled speed to send the leopard into confusion, though he still tried to reach me with his trident by trying to stab me to my back with his trident's points on my trail, though he ended only to poking the jade floor and the empty air.

And then, I quickly sneaked between of his legs to behind of him... and I can't believe that the leopard actually followed my going with his eyes by bowing down and looking through between of his legs to see that were I behind of him.

However, I used this as an advantage by climbing along his cape hanging along his back and I kept climbing until I was standing on the top of his metallic hat, where I quickly took off one sleeve from my black outfit and tied with it the leopard's eyes to prevent him from seeing anything, including me.

And I also whacked with my staff's end to his paws knuckles every time when he lifted his fingers up in attempt to remove the sleeve from his eyes.

I needed to do that, because I had the plan to take them out one by one, which is...

...that if I am unable to take them down myself, I will let them to take each other out for me.

And at first, I waved towards the twin-bladed glaive wielding leopard, who immediately locked his stern eyes on me and growled angrily at me.

"WOO-HOO! OVER HERE!" I teased, as I moved to stand on my head on the trident-wielding leopard's hat...

...before I started to swing my both hips alternately upwards and downwards, making my monkey-butt to swing along with my hips.

"WOO-HOO!" I taunted the leopard warrior as I swung my monkey-butt to him.

The leopard gasped in disgust, which was followed by the angry bellow, as the leopard lunged towards me.

And as the leopard charged towards me, he started to spun his twin-bladed glaive in his arms in front of him.

Spinning his weapon rapidly around in front of himself, along with the bright flashes of the lightnings that reflected on the smooth surfaces of the leopard's weapon's Lord Shen's symbol resembling blades, made to the opposite sides flying fire-ball like blades to briefly glow the bright white light and form the white ring around of the spinning handle.

As the leopard kept spinning his weapon, he moved it in his paws briefly to the right and then to the left, starting to lift her weapon into the lateral position above of his head, until the leopard eventually bounced up into the air from the ground and flew towards me, while still spinning his twin-bladed glaive, before he swung one of its in the lightnings flashes glowing blades towards me as he landed on his feet in front of the blind trident-wielding leopard.

I quickly bowed down out of the blade's way and made the somersault forward, that I remained to hang from the edge of the trident-wielding leopard's hat, in front of his mask-covered faces.

"THAT'S ALL WHAT YOU GOT, SLUG? YOU GOTTA BE QUICKER THAN THAT" I taunted...

...and the leopard reacted to my insult for him with the angry growl, before he made the quick turn around, lifted up his right leg, coiled it and extended it towards me in order to deliver the kick against me.

However, I swung myself to the air and out of the leopard's kick, making him to deliver kick accidentally to his fellow leopard's mask-covered face, sending him to fly a small distance away and land tumbling over to the jade floor.

I made in the air a couple or three somersaults, before I landed on my feet on the top of the hat of this glaive wielding leopard, who was quite surprised/shocked after he realized that what he had done to his fellow colleague instead of me.

However, after feeling my weight landing on his hat and bouncing then off, the leopard instantly snapped back to reality and let out the angry roar, as he turned on my and swung his glaive upwards, trying to hit me with its blade.

However, he missed me, but just barely...

...he tried then again strike me with the vertical swung of his glaive as an attempt to slice me vertically in half...

...only to narrowly miss me again and end up landing with brutal force his glaive's blade against the jade floor, causing it to send some sparks to fly.

After the leopard missed me, twice, I landed on the wooden altar, which was standing in front of one of the jade pillars of the Hall.

And on that certain altar was standing on display one of Jade Palace's artifacts; a set of already away passed Master Dogs's ninja weapons; two japanese katana, four differently designed shuriken, and a spiked ring blade.

"You missed." I teased the leopard.

The leopard growled angrily at this and attacked me again, swinging his glaive's another blade in a horizontal swing as an attempt to cut me in half from my waist.

However, before the blade managed to hit me, I leaped upwards above of the altar, avoiding the glaive's blade, but the blade knocked unceremonically Master Dog's ninja weapons off the altar and all over the jade floor.

I made the quick somersault in the air above of the altar, before I landed on my feet back to the altar, which was now clear after Master Dog's weapons were knocked off from it to the floor.

And after doing that, I was once again in the face to face with the leopard... and I placed my hands on the sides of my head, waving my fingers rapidly while I truck my tongue out at the leopard.

"Missed again." I teased.

The leopard growled in anger, and still spinning his glaive he lifted it above of his head, preparing to execute the vertical strike on me which is supposed to cut me in half with a one heavy strike.

Before he could execute his strike, I already jumped into the air as the leopard eventually swung his glaive's blade with full force down and towards me.

Though I had jumped towards me flying glaive's blade, I've been trained for years to dodge narrowly yet smoothly swinging blades in training of the Jade Palace and under of the teachings of Master Shifu, that dodging the Glaive's blade as narrowly and smoothly wasn't difficult for me.

So, I smoothly dodged the glaive's blade from its right side that the blade did not even touched me, despite it being quite close to touch my skin, and I kept flying from by bounche upwards after I had narrowly passed the blade, which landed on the altar and with the brutal strength chopped it in half.

And, through of quick somersault to forward, I landed to the leopard's helmet's hat.

The leopard of course felt my landing on top of his hat and started to look upwards to see that where I was... which was quite difficult for him due to the round wide edges of his hat.

And it was then, when I saw the spear-wielding female leopard incoming, or lunging, straight towards us like she was trying to have the speed for her upcoming attack, which she was about to target on me.

And, when the leopard actually leaped into the air that she flew in arch through the air towards me, turning herself around and coiling her left leg backwards preparing it for the kick...

...I performed the somersault forward and along this glaive wielding leopard's hat, that I intentionally slipped over the edge of the leopard's hat on the side of his faces and I fell on my feet to the ground just in time before through the air incoming leopard straightened her leg forward to execute her kick...

...only to accidentally delivering the kick to her fellow leopard's faces instead of me, kicking him out cold and knocking him over to the ground.

Seemingly not even caring that what she had accidentally done, the leopard immediately turned her attention and swung in lateral arch her spear's blade towards me.

"WOW!" I shouted after I narrowly dodged the leopard's very close of me swung spear's tip, which nearly sliced my stomach open.

The leopard then quickly draw her spear backwards, before she pulled it with full force downwards at me in attempt to fatally stab me with it...

...only to slicing the empty air with her spear's blade as I had already leaped upwards out of the blade's way.

However, the leopard quickly spotted me and swung her spear's blade upwards trying to hit me with it.

I quickly pulled my tail to the safety, as the long and extremely sharp-edged blade swung right behind me, missing my fur only with a few inches, though the blade's metallic-sounded swing behind of me and the small air flow caused by the blade also caused to me the shivers to ran along by body.

I landed on the leopard's hat, before I bounced off of it to the leopard's another side.

However, she already managed to spot me and find out that to which direction I had bounced off her hat, and immediately started to pull her spear with the super quick movements upwards and towards me as an attempt to stab me fatally into my back.

However, I managed to survive from the brutal stabbing strikes and land on my feet to the jade floor, until the leopard swung her spear's blade again in the lateral arch towards me... this time managing to slice the long but luckily not deep surface wound across of my back.

I grunted in pain as I felt the wave of pain running along by body from my back... however, I couldn't let the pain or the cut in my back to slow me down and I attempted to jump away from that savage feline woman's eye sight!

Until she made a quick turning around, lifting up her right leg and coiling it, before she straightened it forwards to my direction with her full force.

The leopard managed to deliver the hard kick to my back - and yet in middle of the cut in my back - as I was about to make another bounce into the air to jump backwards and through the backward somersault on the leopard's hat, and the kick was strong enough to send me to fly across the air space of the Hall of Heroes.

And as I was about to fly to the another side of the Hall of Warriors...

...I saw a dual three-section-staff and the nunchaku-swords wielding leopards coming right towards me.

Good.

I turned myself around on my flight, that I was flying my into the fists squeezed legs ahead.

And then, I quickly coiled my legs when I was about to collide to them, and I quickly straightened my legs forward, delivering my punch-kicks into their masked faces with all my monkey strength, which knocked them both off their legs and tumbling to the ground...

...and from which I at the same time gathered the support, so that I could bounce from them back towards the spear-wielding leopard.

However, in middle of my flight, the glaive wielding, trident-wielding and the nunchaku-axes wielding leopards, with the latter having changed his nunhaku-axes forms into the double-edged hand axes, having recovered from being whacked by one another due to my cleverness, surrounded me and attacked from three directions.

Trident-wielding leopard was, of course, the first one, who attempted to strike me with the vertical stabbing strike from above, but, due to his enraged feelings from his temporary defeats in my hands which apparently bothered his concentration, he missed me and struck his trident's blades to the ground.

However, after I avoided being impaled by the certain leopard's weapon once again, I grabbed with both of my hands from the staff of the trident, much to the leopard's surprise, and I started to swung myself around of it couple-few times with my strength of the bounce and my own weight...

...during of the first one I delivered the similar punch-kicks to the double-edged hand-axes wielding leopard's stomach, sending him to fly aside and land tumbling to the floor, where the leopard remained to lie... curling up together and holding from his stomach with his paws while snarling in pain.

...after which, using my through of my training developed monkeys' hand movements in the trident's staff, plus swinging myself a bit downwards before pulling myself upwards, I delivered from down to upwards flying left hook, with my into fist squeezed left leg of course, to the glaive wielding leopard's chin, knocking him backwards and even making him to fall over on his back to the ground...

...after which I swung myself towards still from the trident's staff holding leopard's head, recoiling my into the fists squeezed legs again and then extending them forward, performing my double-punch-kick straight to the leopard's masked faces...

...knocking him out cold and sending him over to the ground unconscious, before I swung myself around of his trident's staff one another time, before I eventually let go from it and tossed myself through the air towards the spear-wielding female leopard.

Of course, the leopard prepared herself to deliver to me the fatal stab and, before I managed to even blink my eyes, she swung the spear's blade towards me in attempt to stab me into my heart.

However, I performed the somersault and landed on my feet in front of the leopard and her spear, after which I swung my three-section-staff's loose end towards the spear's staff, knocking it to aside and out of my way, before I swung my three-section-staff backwards and then over of my head to forwards, directing it towards the leopard's masked face and whacking it with a one strong knock with the blunt end of my weapon's loose end's section, which was hard enough to send the leopard into the confusion/dizzy and cause her to step a couple steps backwards and bow downwards a little...

...which gave me time to lunge towards the leopard and perform the one somersault, during of which I coiled my into the fists squeezed legs together again. And right after the somersault, I extended my legs forwards into the old good one double-punch-kick and with all my strength to the leopard's stomach between of his chest-guard, sending from the pain of the impact gasping female leopard to fly straight to the...

...Master Alligator's extremely fragile Japanese tableware...

...which Oogway had long time ago placed into the Hall of Warriors on display, as an artifact/memory of the time, when he taught some patience and self-control to Alligator, who had little trouble with himself, with his unintentional clumsiness and yet his impatience and self-control - meaning that when he accidentally broke something due to his massive size and strength and got either needlessly scolded or teased/mocked of it, the Alligator's impatience and extreme lack of self-control got best of him with the destructive consequences in the form of enraged rampage, which were kind of the similar problems with Tigress when she was child - by letting him handle as carefully as he could extremely fragile Japanese tableware without breaking it, in attempt to teach him patience and self-control over himself.

After then years of training or so, after ten thousand of broken tableware and after ten thousand aggressive and even destructive rampage, Master Alligator finally managed to gain both the patience and the control over himself.

However, I can't believe that I actually managed to break something else extreme fragile in the Hall of Heroes within one night.

"Why can't those leopards fly to somewhere else where is not so fragile stuff to be broken?" I complained to myself.

And suddenly, I felt myself half-limp, or maybe more than just half, and I panted heavily. And no wonder if I did, especially after using plenty of physical energy to dodge these leopards fast strikes time after time nearly to the edge of lack of oxygen.

However, before I had even time to take a break and get some breath, I was once again engaged by from their temporary defeat in my hands enraged trident- and double-edged hand-axes-wielding leopards...

...who did not seem tired and breathless at all unlike I was.

"Don't these guys ever get tired?" I complained, as I once again took the stand against these two, completely or doing my best to ignore my tiredness and breathlessness, so that I could focus better to defeat these two... once again.

They immediately attacked me, swinging their weapons towards me...

...to which I reacted by, once again, jumping out of their weapons blades way to the left...

...as the trident's and hand-axes blades struck heavily against the jade floor to the spot where I was standing a second ago.

However these two had quite prepared for this technique...

...as the hand-axes-wielding leopard threw his weapons twirling into the air and towards me, after which the trident's wielding guy immediately attacked to me.

With the leap into the air and somersault to forward, I managed to avoid my legs and my head to be chopped off by in the air twirling axes, which passed me from beneath of my legs and very small inch from by back, causing me the shivers after I felt the cold air flow from with the metallic sound over my back swinging axe blades.

My leap and somersault both together caused me to turn around in the air, that I was looking to the direction, from where the trident-wielding leopard was coming straight towards me.

He aggressively swung his trident's blades towards me in X-swing, barely missing my stomach, before he bounced forward, attempting to stab me instead.

However, I managed to spun myself around to the left just in time when the trident's extremely sharp flame-like and sharp-pointed blades even managed to touch me fatally...

...and as I landed on my feet to the floor, I hurriedly bounced forward yet again, as the leopard swung his trident's another end's blades towards me in lateral swing, once again but again just narrowly missing my back.

I made the couple somersaults in the air, before I landed to the ground again...

...and behind of Tigress and Viper, who were battling against twin-bladed sword- and three-section-staff-wielding leopards.

We all three were now fighting back to back against three-four us surrounding leopards!

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


	28. 28: Five VS Eight Part 3

**********CHAPTER 28: FURIOUS FIVE VS. MYSTERIOUS EIGHT PART 3.  
**********

 **ENJOY THE READING!**

TIGRESS POV

I spotted Monkey landing behind of my and Viper's backs as we two were fighting against our own tiredness and these leopards, whom just tirelessly kept attacking, viciously fighting and pushing back, slowly but certainly turning the odds completely against us.

As we all three were quite tired and breathless...

...and the leopard warriors were totally like that they completely ignored both the tiredness and breathlessness unlike we did.

I clearly heard both Monkey and Viper panting heavily out of breathlessness and tiredness behind of me... and no wonder, because I was too panting heavily due to the same reasons after using plenty of energy to dodge their attacks.

"Can... _(panting)..._ can anyone... _(panting)..._ anyone of you two... _(panting)..._ a bit... _(panting)..._ a bit help... help me... _(panting)..._ because... _(panting)..._ because I need... _(panting)..._ I need to catch... _(panting)..._ catch my breath!" Monkey said to us with the tired-sounding tone between of heavy panting.

"Gladly, if... _(panting)_ if I just can, Monkey. _(panting)..._ But... I'm a bit... _(panting)_ a bit busy... _(panting)_ too busy... _(panting)_ to give my paw... _(panting)_ now." I apologized, as this twin-bladed sword-wielding leopard has already offered a quite challenge even for me.

When I looked at my opponent, though I did not saw it through of his mask, I bet that he was amused to see all three of us tired and breathless, meaning that they could either beat us or even kill us much easily now.

"Tired? Breathless? Limp, Little Kitten? Such of shame, because we were just getting warmed up." The leopard taunted me, as he twirled his twin-bladed sword in his right paw, ready to attack me again.

I hated when the people, who are threatening the existence of Kung Fu, calls me that "Little Kitten."

But, I definitely wasn't gonna let that punk to get best of me neither physically nor mentally.

And so, angrily growling and locking my eyes at the leopard's own, I took another battle-ready position with my katanas.

Suddenly, when I was ready to lunge at the leopard once again...

"Hey! Aren't the pandas supposed to head into the village?" I heard Viper asking with the confused tone from me and Monkey.

"Yeah, at least they were. They why they are coming inside the Hall of Heroes instead of going down the stairs?" I heard Monkey saying equally confused tone.

I turned my eyes to the gates of the Jade Palace, and I spotted that pandas were indeed entering inside of the Hall of the Warriors, though they stayed away from the battle between of us and these leopards.

It needed the small gap between of the doors for us to get through of the doors to inside, but the pandas had to open the gap more wide to get inside themselves.

The first ones of the pandas inside was Grandma panda, holding little Lei Lei in her arms as she entered inside, and immediately after them Hugger panda and little Bao came in... and they were then soon followed by Dim and Sum, who prepared themselves to close the door immediately after everyone of them were inside.

However, the pandas had opened the gap between of the doors so wide, that I saw to the direction of the stairs leading down to the village...

...and I spotted that more wolves were coming from the stairs and were gathering into the pack in front of the gates.

One pack behind from the Training Hall and another coming from the stairs.

And yet we were now all heading inside of the Jade Palace for sanctuary and to make our last stand against this attack to defend this sacred Hall and the everything in the Jade Palace... including Master Oogway's legacy.

And there were these eight warriors, who were like waiting for us in ambush.

The pieces of this quite violent puzzle are finally settled into their places.

And then, I quickly realized that this entire wolf invasion was designed to tire us out with their overwhelming numbers and continuing heavy attacks, and herd us right into the grip of these leopards to finish us off for good...

...so that all that remains of us would be pandas...

...and without us to protect them, the pandas would be - despite their own quite highly developed skills of Kung Fu they've learned from Po last couple years since Kai's defeat - would be easily overrun and defeated, even blindly and senselessly slaughtered, by these wolves and Lord Shen!

Well, not in my watch!

"KEEP THESE LEOPARDS BUSY! THEY CANNOT HARM THE PANDAS SO LONG AS LONG AS WE'RE STILL ALIVE!" I ordered, as the twin-bladed sword-wielding leopard, tired of waiting my move, suddenly attacked me and swung his weapon's blade towards me...

...which I blocked with the X-position of my swords.

"THEN LET'S TRY TO KEEP OURSELVES ALIVE!" Monkey said...

...as the double-edged hand-axes wielding leopard attacked him by swinging his axes in vertical swing down at him, which, however, Monkey blocked with his three-section-staff's chain, which he quickly wrapped around of the axes stalks beneath of their blades, capturing both of them together...

...and pulling his around of the axes stalks coiled weapons backwards, Monkey disarmed the leopard, and at the same time Monkey caused surprised leopard to stumble forward, which allowed Monkey to deliver his "punch-kick" to his stomach.

Monkey also released his three-section-staff from around of the axes stalks and sent them to fly towards another three-section-staff wielding leopard one by one, causing the leopard to drop his weapon to the ground and step back with the confusion.

Viper used this as an advantage, as she quickly lunged at the wolf and coiled herself around of the leopard's neck and arms, taking the full control over the leopard's arms, and executing her self-punching technique on the leopard... making him to punch rapidly himself into the faces.

And now... now it was my turn to deal off this leopard.

I turned with my swords the leopard's twin-bladed sword aside, during of which I changed my left paw's katana's position in my paw that my sword's handle's blunt head was pointing upwards.

And with that, I punched with the handle's blunt head to the leopard's stomach's, making him to bow down out of pain, even though his chest armor blocked most of the impact, but it was enough to me, because my heavy strike with my katana's blunt head caused the leopard to fall back for couple steps...

...which allowed for me some space in front of me to lift my right leg up, preparing it for the kick by coiling it backwards and extend it quickly forward, and directly to the leopard's chest, and my kick was strong enough to send him to fly towards the jade pillar.

However, much to my surprise, the leopard warrior made the somersault backwards that he was flying towards the jade pillar his hind legs ahead.

And once his legs touched the pillar, the leopard immediately bounced upwards that he flew across the Hall's air space...

...and the strength of his bounce was so strong that it brought difficult for me to follow him with my eyes...

...during of which he landed on his feet against the another pillar behind of me...

...and bounced from it again, but this time, downwards and towards me, preparing to slice my head off with his twin-bladed sword from behind of me once after landing on his feet behind of me.

However, I sensed this incoming with my increased senses and I quickly bowed down out of the twin-bladed sword's blade's way as the leopard swung it towards me from his left to the right.

"WHOA!" I shouted, because the blade managed to cut off some hair of my scalp, and it even caused some shivers with its blade's cold gust of wind.

After the leopard's attack missed me, I tried to fight back fire with fire, first by spinning myself to the right and around, during of which I lifted my right leg upwards and I then swung my leg towards the leopard's head.

I missed, as the leopard quickly bowed down out of my kick's way that I was only kicking the empty air.

I then bounced with my left leg upwards and performed the barrel roll to my right as fast as I could...

...during of which I recoiled both of my legs...

...and I extended my right leg and swung it laterally and quickly forwards and towards the leopard's faces...

...after which I straightened my left leg quickly forward into a quick and direct kick, aiming it as well into the leopard's faces...

...but, thanks to my tiredness that bothered and slowed down my movements and the leopard's own quick movements, each of my kick missed the leopard's masked faces, and I ended up to kick only the mere empty air.

And... when I landed on my feet to the ground, the leopard immediately performed immediately the vicious counter-attack on me by swinging his twin-bladed sword's blade towards my stomach in attempt to slice it open.

However, I managed to evade it, but only narrowly, by pulling my stomach in and out of the weapon's way and reach.

The leopard then swung his weapon's another end's blade towards me soon after that, attempting to slice my head in half, but I managed to narrowly evade that too by leaning sharply backwards, but unfortunately I suffered one small cut from the blade's tip into my right temple.

However, I noticed that I had unfortunately left my guard open, but I was too late to do anything about it...

...as the leopard spun himself around to the right and delivered the hard kick with his right leg to my chest.

The leopard's kick was hard enough that it caused me to stumble backwards, which was only then stopped when I leaned against another artifact's wooden altar in middle of the two jade pillars.

And on that altar was standing on display the ancient Master Elephant's gigantic horn, which was said to be able to release the thunderous and deeply humming sound, which echoes over the entire China's airspace every time when Master Elephant blew into the horn.

Master Elephant used the horn when he was guarding the northern borders of the China in case of the massive attacks of those barbaric Mongolians.

As I quickly recovered from the kick to my chest, I spotted the twin-blade sword wielding leopard coming, or more likely flying, straight towards me, having lifted his weapon above of his head and preparing himself to strike me with it.

However, I bounced into the air and swung myself backwards through of the somersault, out of the blade's way, as it landed against the altar and the horn, nearly slicing both of them in half with his twin-bladed sword.

I landed onto the altar, behind of the horn...

...and after I saw that what the leopard had done to the Master Elephant's ancient horn, I was about to angrily and sternly scold the leopard for once again damaging the artifacts of the Hall of Warriors out of carelessness...

...until I quickly sensed another danger coming from behind of me... or more likely from the both sides of me!

I quickly jumped into the air yet again and made the somersault backwards, only to quickly witness as out of nowhere suddenly appeared chain-hammers, both the fist-shaped hammer with the spiked knuckles and the open paw-shaped hammer with the sickle-claws, swung in the lateral arch towards each others from each side and crushed the horn between of their weights supported by their flying speed...

...but shortly after that, the leopard holding from the chains quickly pulled his hammers off from the damaged horn and destroyed wooden altar, and then he swung both back- and upwards, until he eventually swung them back towards me in attempt to hit me with them from the air.

However, the fist-shaped and sickle-clawed hammers missed my head right as I was about to make another backward somersault in the air...

...from which I took an advantage and swung my katanas downwards, twice with each of them, cutting the piece of the chain hammers chains off and removing the fist-shaped and sickle-clawed hammers off from the rest of them and the hammers, before I landed on my feet to the Hall's jade floor.

However, the one thing I didn't expect was that the leopard, though partially disarmed, had another trick hiding under of his cape.

So, after I had cut off the hammers from most of the chains, the leopard immediately swung the chains backwards, and with his controlled hand movements, he made the most of the chains to fly laterally towards me from both of my sides...

...and before I even notice this, swiftly in the air flying long chains wrapped quickly and quite tightly all around of my body, that it brought a bit difficulties to me to struggle myself free from the chains, and the chains ends wrapped finally around of each others.

I was left tied, defenseless and, I realized this right after I had dropped my sword on the floor, unarmed in middle of the Hall of Warriors.

And, while the chain-hammers wielding leopard kept me captive, I was surrounded by twin-bladed glaive wielding leopard, spear-wielding leopard and twin-bladed sword wielding leopard from all three direction.

"Time to skewer the tiger!" The spear-wielding leopard hissed sadistically...

...as she and twin-bladed glaive wielding leopard charged at me in order to either skewer my body with his weapon's Lord Shen's Symbol resembling blades beam-like sharp-pointed long spikes or slice me in half from my waist with the sharp-edged round-side of the blade.

While the spear-wielding leopard lunged at me and pulled her spear backwards with both of her paws in attempt to stab me to my back with her spear and the twin-bladed sword wielding leopard lifted his own weapon's bladed to the level of the heads and swung one of his weapon's blade laterally towards my head with intention to either behead me, slice my head in half or slice my throat open.

I widened my eyes in shock at it...

...and by some kind of instincts and reflexes before I myself managed to even realize, I bounced backwards into the air just before any of their weapons could touch me... and I also took unsuspecting chain-hammers-wielding leopard with my.

And the spear-wielding, twin-bladed sword wielding and twin-bladed glaive wielding leopards halted their attack just in time before they could fatally hit each others with their weapons, after which they pretty quickly recovered from their surprised status and followed me...

...until they attentions were locked into their fellow leopard, who flew in arch through the air along with my speed while still holding from the other ends of the chain-hammers chains, which left all three of them surprised, dumbfounded and confused.

I spotted, during of my backwards made somersaults, that all three's full attentions were locked into their fellow leopard.

Good for me, because after I'd performed the couple-four quick somersaults backwards in the air and landed on my feet back to the jade floor of the Hall, which resulted the leopard in the other ends of the chains to fall on his stomach to the ground as well, I quickly pulled the leopard from the chains off the ground into the air and swung him towards the other direction, so that the chains could tighten between of the chains wrapped/tied around of me and the other ends of the chains in the leopard's paws...

...after which I eventually started to spin myself around and I swung the leopard along with my pace for a couple times around of me as well, until I directed the leopard to fly in the lateral arch through the air and straight towards his fellow leopards.

The leopards collided with each others and my spinning speed caused all three of them to be slammed against one of the jape pillar of the Hall of Warriors.

Though I was still tied by the chain-hammers wielding leopard's chains afterwards of my brief victory over the wolves, and that I was already panting heavily out of slowly incoming exhaustion, I smiled proudly at such of movement like that, because even under tiredness and breathlessness after this long and hard fight, I still got it.

However, I was nearly cut in half from my right shoulder to the left side of my waist by the twin-bladed sword wielding leopard, who had managed to avoid my counter-attack and was attacking me from behind of my back.

But, with my another unexpected wave of instincts and the sudden reaction of reflexes, I spun myself around to use my legs to bounce backwards and to avoid the leopard's weapon's bladed from fatally hitting me.

Lucky for me, the blade missed me again...

...and luckily for me by second time, the full speed past me flying blade's tip also cut the chains around of my body, freeing me from the chains, though the impact of the chains and the blade's metal sent some sparks towards me, that a bit bothered my eyesight.

However, I did not allow the spark to slow me down, because I was now free from the chains, and yet I had an advantage and upper paw over the leopard, who hadn't yet realized that what he had done, I started to ran towards the leopard.

And, as the leopard turned around to check that what kind of damage he had done to me, or at least believed so, I leaped into the air and performed another barrel roll in the air, lifted my left leg up, recoiled it and extended it forward... delivering the kick to the leopard's faces and sending him to fly...

...straight towards of his three fellow leopards, who were just getting back on their feet, landing over them and knocking all of them over to the ground once again.

However, even after I had dismissed these leopards, I was immediately attacked by that nunchaku-swords wielding female leopard from behind of me.

The leopard swung her blades laterally in arch from up to downwards, that the blades sharp tips slashed two long cuts into my back...

...and before I managed to even roar out of pain due to two painful slash cut across of my back from my right shoulder to the left side of my waist, which also did slice the backside of my hanfu into shreds, I felt yet the similar feel of the cold and extremely sharp contact of the blade's edge and the wave of pain in my right side, which force was powerful enough to turn me around to my left...

...and that was followed by the fourth from down to upwards directed slash, as I felt one of the leopard's nunchaku-sword's blade's sharp tip flying painfully against my chest, cutting my flesh and leaving the long and bleeding cut across the front side of my upper body, and which sliced all of that what was left from my beautiful golden hanfu... leaving me completely topless.

And that was not all, the leopard's nunchaku-swords swung and impact against my chest was even powerful enough to sent me to fly backwards, making the somersault backwards in the air, and landing roughly on my stomach to the floor that made me to gasp out of pain, in the front of the Master Flying Rhino's armor.

I tried to stand up, which was slow and a bit difficult due to the four times big waves of pain surrounding my wounded and bleeding body.

I groaned in pain as I held with my paw over of my bleeding and long cuts, as I took support with my another paw from the pillar next to me.

However, I didn't receive much time to recover as the leopard attacked me again...

...and using her weapons like swords and nunchucks with the doubled efforts and speed against me, she really gave me the highly skilled and thus difficult challenge.

I quickly picked up my swords from the ground and began to defend myself.

I tried to block the leopard's attacks with her nunchaku-swords and execute some of my counter-attacks on her...

...and I managed to block several attacks coming from each side and above towards me or turn them aside to get my opponent to open her guard, though I received some small cuts into my arms from the nunchaku-swords blades and trying to get the leopard to open her guard was extremely difficult...

...but thanks to my exhaustion, and because of the leopard's fiercely swift movements and vicious attacks were at least ten times more harder, faster, healthier and heavier, and she swung her nunchaku-swords, without difficulties, tiredness or slowing down a bit to catch the breath, at me one second after the previous one...

...the leopard managed to force me on the defensive and even to retreat backwards.

And, with highly controlled movements of her paws, while still holding and rapidly spinning her nunchaku-swords, the leopard knocked both of my swords off from my paws, leaving me nearly defenseless.

After seeing that I was at her mercy, the leopard started to mercilessly and ruthlessly deliver several heavy and brutal lateral and direct kicks to my faces and to my chest, to the middle part of my painful cut across of my chest... even within three-five minutes, the leopard managed to deliver at least twelve hard and painful kicks on my faces and chest...

...and her fast-paced and fast-repeating kicks bothered my concentration greatly, leaving me no a single minute to make my counter-attack, catch some breath nor even to look at her direction.

This reminded me greatly of my first duel with my ex-adoptive-brother Tai Lung on that bridge, when he mercilessly whacked my faces with his rapid, repeating and heavy kicks when we were both hanging underneath of the bridge.

And then, the leopard executed her final devastating blow against me.

With all her strength and increased speed, the leopard bounced into the air and she leaned herself backwards, so that she could swing her right leg from down to upwards and towards my chin, delivering to me the very hard and nearly jaw-breaking kick which knocked my head backwards...

...and after making the somersault in the vertical position in the air, the leopard then performed the barrel roll in the air and in front of me, recoiling her left leg and extending it straight towards my chest, delivering the extremely hard kick to my chest, pushing nearly all breath out of me with the brutal force and sending me to fly against Master Flying Rhino's armor...

...which shattered into the pieces from the impact of collision...

...and I landed roughly on my from the kick extremely sore stomach to the jade floor.

And afterwards, I panted heavily and desperately to get back the lost breath and I felt myself extremely dizzy from the lack of oxygen caused by the leopard's kick.

I felt myself too limp and even too weak that I was unable to get up from the ground.

And when the leopard leaped through the air towards me and landed on her feet over me, I realized that as defenseless and unable to do anything to fight back, I was totally at the mercy of my merciless and brutal enemy.

At fist, as I tried to get back on my feet, but I suddenly felt the leopard roughly grabbing from my wrists and placing them behind of my bare back, before she placed her leg on my paws and back and roughly pinning me to the ground, using my own tiredness as her advantage against me.

But before she did so, she quickly swung the long chain - probably one of the very same chains I had cut off the chain-hammers chains - from beneath of my head that it wrapped twice-three times and tightly around of my throat, beneath of my lower jaw, and pulled it backwards...

...that the chain went more tight around my neck, that it nearly blocked all my respiratory tract. And not to mention that the leopard even pulled from the chain so hard that it sunk into my flesh and nearly snapped my neck, due to the chain tightening under of my lower jaw and being pulled upwards.

I gasped, after which I started aggressively and loudly growl and hiss from the very first pull that tightened the chain around of my neck, causing me to cough rapidly, let out the throaty chocking sounds from my mouth and gasp desperately for the breath and almost completely preventing me from moving even a little bit.

And then, I felt the narrow yet cold and extremely sharp blade touching my neck beneath of the chain.

The leopard was aiming her nunchaku-sword's blade on my neck in attempt to behead me.

"Time to die, little kitten!" The leopard hissed sadistically.

MONKEY'S POV

I was still battling against the double-edged hand-axes wielding leopard, who had managed to corner me against overturn wooden altar.

And as the leopard lifted his axes above of his head, preparing to swung them down at me, I raised my own staff with my hands above of my head to block the attack before it even started.

However, I realized that the leopard had just tricked me...

...but after the leopard had quickly and unexpectedly lifted his right leg quickly upwards and kicked my staff of my hands, disarming me.

I followed my staff's flight to behind of me until it landed to the another side of the Jade Palace...

...where I saw, much to my shock, Tigress being pinned down against the jade floor, there was the chain wrapped around of her neck like in attempt to strangle her to death, and there was that nunchaku-swords wielding leopard holding from the chain, as well as lifting her another nunchaku-sword above of her own head like in attempt to behead Tigress with one swing of her weapons sword-blade.

I gasped in shock after I witnessed this...

...and and quickly came up with the plan to stop the leopard from executing her fatal blow on Tigress, and turned back to my opponent.

I, at first, bowed down out of the way of the leopard's axes, as he swung them towards my head to behead me...

...after which, I grabbed from that part of the leopard's cape that was lying on his shoulders.

"COME HERE, VILLAIN!" I said to my opponent...

...as I threw myself backwards to make the somersault backwards and over the overturned wooden altar, dragging surprised leopard along with me.

And as we were about to land back on our feet - well, at least me, but the leopard was about to land on his head to the jade floor - I delivered my punch-kick to the leopard's chest with all the strength I got and sent the leopard to fly across the Hall of Heroes air space, straight towards the another leopard attempting to kill Tigress.

And luckily, I wasn't the only one who had witnessed Tigress being in the life-threatening trouble.

VIPER'S POV

I was forced to slither backwards by the twin-bladed glaive- and spear-wielding leopards, after they had recovered from Tigress devastating counter-attack, near of the gates of the Jade Palace.

Those two had managed with their high-leveled skills, movements and attacks to drove me into exhaustion, and yet they were tirelessly approaching me and yet attempting to corner me against one of the jade pillars near of the gates of Jade palace.

And once I was nearly cornered against the pillar, both of them drawn their weapons upwards and prepared to pull them downwards in attempt to stab me with their weapons sharp tips together.

However, as I turned to the others to have some help in here...

...I witnessed, much to my shock, that Tigress was about to get beheaded by that nunchaku-swords wielding leopard.

And after I saw Monkey Monkey witnessing this as well and turning to his hand-axes wielding opponent, whose Monkey dragged over himself while performing the somersault backwards over the overturned wooden altar, before he was about to kick the leopard straight towards the leopard upon Tigress.

And with the knowledge that the leopard might be too quick in her movements to dodge towards her flying leopard before the flying leopard could even hit her in the flight, I had to distract the leopard so that Monkey's leopard would certainly hit her.

And I turned back to my opponents when they drawn their weapons forwards and towards of me.

However, I gathered more some energy within myself and lunged at the leopards, as their weapons tips hit against the jade pillar instead of me.

I slithered around of their long weapons staves and towards the leopard's wrists until I eventually reached to them.

I hurriedly coiled myself around of both of their wrists, before I swung myself twice around of the jade pillar...

And as I bounced with all my strength and energy from the pillar towards Tigress and the female leopard, I swung with my tail those two leopards twice around of the pillar to gather some speed...

...until I pulled both of them forward with all my strength...

...and I finally tossed both of them to fly in high speed towards the leopard upon of Tigress.

And as the leopard was about of swing his nunchaku-sword's blade towards Tigress neck to behead her, she stopped nick in time before the blade even touched Tigress neck after she suddenly spotted the leopards, the ones I tossed, flying towards her.

And as I suspected, the leopard leaned forwards to avoid the collision with towards her flying leopards...

...but as the leopards I tossed were about to fly past her from her backside, she failed to see the leopard Monkey kicked towards her - due to the fact that the leopard had leaned right to that direction, from which Monkey's thrown leopard was flying towards her, to avoid the leopards I tossed.

And because of that, Monkey's thrown leopard hit to her fist, dragging her along with him away from Tigress ans causing her to release her grip from the chain in the stranglehold around of Tigress neck...

...and right after that, they both flew against the leopards I tossed, dragging them with them...

...and all four leopards, entangled with each other, flight in the hard speed came finally to the end when they eventually collided against the jade wall behind of still in the ground lying Tigress, and fell to the floor and the pile of out cold knocked leopards.

And after the leopards were out, me and Monkey hurriedly rushed to Tigress aid.

TIGRESS POV.

After I felt that the tight chain was released from around of my neck, I quickly pulled it off from around of my neck and tossed it away.

I was alive! I was still very much alive! Although I had to yet face the consequences from being released from the grip, which could have strangled me to death...

...and it nearly did so.

I coughed strongly and repeatedly, after my respiratory tract were open once again, and I desperately tried to catch some breath, while holding with my paw from my throat, which was quite sore after being under the tight squeezing stranglehold within for twice-three time around of my neck wrapped chain.

I tried to get up from the ground, but my heavy coughing and the feeling that an elephant would have sat on me with all the weight - due to that leopard's kick to my chest, which pushed nearly all breath out of me and yet that chain wrapped and tightened into the stranglehold around of my neck, preventing my oxygen supply, along with my high-leveled exhaustion from the long lasted battle with these eight warriors - bothered my attempts to get up, despite my best efforts.

And then, I felt somebody to grab from my right arm, but gently this time, and placing it over his shoulder in attempt to help me up.

And I also felt someone else coiling around of my topless body and left arm, trying to do the same thing as the another one holding me from my right arm.

I also felt myself a bit dizzy due to the lack of oxygen, as everything I saw was quite fuzzy... but just temporarily.

And as I lifted my head from the side to another to see that who were the ones holding from my arms and trying to help me up on my feet from the ground, and much to my delight, I spotted and realized that they were Monkey and Viper on my side trying to help me up...

...and they probably were the ones who saved me from being beheaded by that leopard.

However, in spite of their help, I was still unable to get rid of my heavy coughing, because I still didn't get the breath very well.

"Easy there, Tigress! Easy!" I heard Monkey saying, trying to calm me down.

"Take a deep breath, Tigress. Calm down and take a deep breath." I heard Viper saying to me gently.

I did as Viper told me to do and calmed myself a bit... so that I could take a deep breath after another...

...and after several times I took a deep breath...

...I finally managed to balance my breath, though I still felt myself a limp due to the tiredness from the fight.

"Come on, Monkey, let's take Tigress to the pandas to recover." Viper said.

However, after hearing this and before they even moved me towards the pandas, I immediately jumped on my feet and pulled my right arm from Monkey's hands and shook Viper off me.

"No, I don't need to recover. I can keep fighting now!" I said sternly, as I struggled hardly against my own slight dizziness to stay up and on my feet.

Viper, of course, was immediately protesting against this.

"Tigress! That's out of the question! You were nearly strangled to death by that leopard! I can see clearly that you still feel yourself slightly dizzy and have difficulties to even stand up! You have to pull out from the fight and retreat to the pandas so that you can fully recover!" Viper protested, with the concern in her voice.

However, in my case, pulling back from the fight like weak coward and leave the others to desperately fend-off these highly skilled and still eager leopards on their own was definitely out of the question...

...and yet each member of Furious Five has been physically nearly worn out in this fight against these eight leopards, and each one of these leopards didn't show any sigh of tiredness within them at all!

But! Taking me to recover with the pandas was MORE than just DEFINITELY out of the question!

"No! Master Shifu ordered me to assist you all in the fight against these leopards, and that's what I'm going to do!" I responded sternly and determinedly, albeit a bit stubbornly to Viper's protest.

"Besides, taking me to recover with the pandas only puts them and Po under the risk of being attacked and slaughtered by these leopards!" I added...

...not willing to put the pandas under such of high risk.

"And even though their own skills are quite impressive, that does not mean that the pandas can hold their own against these highly skilled leopards as long as we do." I said, knowing that the pandas, despite their improved skills under of Po's teaching, have no match for these leopards at all.

Even though Li Shan, Mei Mei and Dim and Sum were the best and highly skilled ones from all Po's panda students, they weren't yet in the same level with Po and the Five nor ready to face such of in skills high-leveled opponents like these leopards.

Yet, I've also noticed that these leopards were fighting just like Tai Lung, albeit with a much improved skills, of course, and yet Po defeated Tai Lung despite his inexperience of the close combat and the lack of years of training in the past...

...I was starting to get feeling, after testing these leopards high-leveled skills with our own, that even one of these leopards equivalents to five Tai Lung with the improved skills instead of one leopard... and in the case of eight leopards, it equivalents roughly forty Tai Lung with the improved skills instead of eight.

Which might be the reason to it that even Po was unable to defeat them in the close combat.

"The best way we can keep the pandas out of the any kind of danger, is to stay away from them and keep these leopards attention completely in us!" I said to Monkey and Viper.

"Well, at least, we do not need to worry about those four ones anymore. They're all beaten and knocked out cold. Maybe we just leveled the odds in our favor." Monkey said, gesturing the leopards, that were still lying in the ground behind of us.

We all then turned to them...

...and we saw that none of these leopards hasn't got up from the ground to re-engage us again.

However, it was then when happened something unexpected.

POOF!

Around of these leopards appeared suddenly out of nowhere a large surge of smoke, which coiled around of these leopards apparently unconscious forms lying in the ground, covering all four of them completely out of the sight...

...and once the smoke faded away, the leopards had disappeared from the spots where they were lying a second ago.

This sudden move left all of us astonished and speechless, as we looked at the place, where the leopards were a minute ago, with out of astonishment and surprise widened eyes and hanging mouths.

"WHAT?!" I gasped out of astonishment.

"What happened? Where did they go?" Viper said out of confusion, as she looked around to see that were did those leopards go.

Monkey seemed to be the only one to be less astonished and speechless than me and Viper.

"If you ask me, these guys gotta have a smoke bombs under of their capes, no doubt." Monkey stated...

...probably because he himself had once used the smoke bombs to escape from the scene and to avoid getting caught when he was nothing but trouble-making hooligan in his home village.

VIPER'S POV.

"So says you, Monkey. But if that was about the smoke bombs, then there's one thing I just don't understand. I didn't saw anyone of those four throwing the one to the floor and another four are battling with Crane and Mantis, meaning that they neither threw any smoke bombs at theyr colleagues." I stated.

"Then, where did the smoke came from?" I added.

Monkey was about to say something to this, until he himself went speechless after he unexpectedly catched the point from my theory and question.

Besides, both me and Monkey had yet checked the leopards unconscious status after we threw them at each others and against the jade wall of the Hall to save Tigress before we focused on helping Tigress.

And when we paid another look at the leopards, the leopards were lying in exactly the same position as they were, when me and Monkey paid the first look at them before helping Tigress.

But suddenly...

POOF!

Same a large surge of smoke suddenly appeared all around of us.

This sudden move set all of our instincts in a full alert, as if we already knew that what was coming next.

TIGRESS POV

I looked around of me to see the hostile movement against us, but all I could see was only the thick smoke.

Until, with my instincts and improved sense of hearing, I heard steps and in the air swinging metal behind of us.

One of them was going straight towards Monkey...

...another one was coming straight towards Viper from above of her...

...and third one was coming towards me from behind.

"MONKEY! MOVE!" I screamed, as I rushed towards Monkey and pushed him hurriedly over to the ground...

...and pulled my paws hurriedly back, just-in-time, before through of the smoke swung from down tO upwards two long smoke-slicing blades that almost cut off my paws from my wrists, though they were meant to slash Monkey's back.

Then I quickly bowed down to the ground, coiled my left leg and extended my right leg to the right and fell on my arms to the floor, and narrowly avoiding the long flame-shaped blade of the spear and the rounded blade of glaive or its beam-like spikes, which were meant to fatally impale my upper body from behind of me.

And then, I turned my attention to Viper and the danger that was threatening her from behind of her.

"VIPER! OUT OF THE WAY!" I screamed as I spun myself around, coiled my right leg under of my body and extended my left leg towards Viper, kicking her aside to the safety...

...as out from the smoke appeared the long-handled and double-edged axe, that flew in the vertical arch downwards and struck against the spot where Viper was standing a second ago, nearly chopping off my left leg if I hadn't pulled it out of the way in time, though that was meant to either behead Viper of chop her in half.

I growled in anger as I realized, that the leopards were using that smoke-bombs and that disappearing and reappear illusion-like trick to send us into confusion and that as an advantage to sneak behind of our guard in attempt to assassinate us from behind.

However, after their dishonorable assassination attempt having failed and after my friends were in safe and beyond of these leopards reach, I bounced up from the ground and spun myself around in the air in front of these leopards...

...until I, using their own smoke as my advantage, extended my right leg and swung it in horizontal arch towards ax- and glaive wielding leopards heads, knocking them over to the ground...

...until I extended my left leg straight towards the spear-wielding leopard, delivering the hard kick to her chest and sending her to fly over the nunchaku-swords wielding leopard, knocking them both off their feet and over the ground.

I spun myself around in the air one more time, as the smoke was about to quickly fade away, before I eventually landed on my feet to the ground, picked my swords from the ground, placed them to the sheaths, which were still hanging on my bare back, after which I took my usual battle-ready position...

...as the leopards, angrily growling and hissing at me and two of them rubbing with their paws the sore spots in their faces from my kick, slowly stood up on their feet and picked their weapons up from the floor.

They all turned their angered looks at me, and each one of them took their own battle-ready positions, ready to engage me all together...

...and it was then, when I got Viper and Monkey, using once again his three-section-staff after his Bo was knocked off his hands. on my side, and they too took their own usual battle-ready positions, ready to engage the leopards with me.

"BE ON YOUR GUARD! TWO TIMES THAT WHAT YOU ARE NOW! THESE LEOPARDS NO LONGER HESITATE TO USE THE TWISTED TRICKS TO BEAT US!" I warned my fellow warriors, after it was clear that these leopards were more likely going to use more twisted tricks on us.

"TRY TO BE DOUBLE-TIMES SMARTER THAN THEM AND THEIR TRICKS!" I advised my friends...

...before I leaped down onto all my fours and rushed towards the leopards to engage them to the fight yet again, Monkey and Viper following me right on my tail.

 **To be continued...**

 **I hope that all of you, who reads this story, enjoyed this chapter...**


	29. 29: Po's fathers VS Gorilla

**********CHAPTER 29: PO'S FATHERS VS GORILLA  
**********

 **ENJOY THE READING!**

LI SHAN'S POV.

I stayed behind with my badly injured son Po and Mr. Ping to make sure that every panda has made it safely to inside of the Jade Palace through of the gap between of the palace's large gates.

"Head to the another side of the Hall along the wall! Stay behind of the pillars and stay out of the fight!" I ordered the pandas as I guided them to inside.

The first ones of the pandas I ordered to go through to inside were Grandma Panda and Hugger Panda, who took little Lei Lei and Bao in their arms to inside with them.

I knew that that was a very risky move due to their safety, because I actually had no any idea that how many invaders had already invaded to the Jade Palace from inside and I didn't know that how long the Furious Five was able to hold them off.

And right next after them, I sent Dim and Sum inside of the Palace, and I also told them go to the front of the group to secure their way to the another side of the Hall of the Heroes and to protect them from the invaders in the Jade Palace.

And after them, I sent Mei Mei to go last to watch their back... in case if any of those invaders in the Hall gets interest from one of them while they're trying to make it to the another side of the Hall.

And after the pandas had retreated inside of the Jade Palace, it seemed to be mine, Po's and Mr. Ping's own turn to get into the safety too.

But before we were even able to get through of the doors, I peeked over my shoulder to see that how Master Shifu was doing.

The last time I looked at him was that he got an another wave of the fresh wolves and gorillas against him, and it was like one thousand of fierce wolves and several dozens of massive gorillas against one master.

And the enemy's number had forced me to rush the pandas hurriedly inside of the Jade Palace, because I wasn't a quite sure that how long Shifu, even as one of the greatest warriors and Kung Fu teachers all over China, is able to hold the massive packs away from us until we are all in safe within the Palace.

However...

The porch in front of the Jade Palace's gates was nearly covered by the dozens and dozens of out cold or into the piles knocked wolves and gorillas...

...and Master Shifu kept fending off a few on their feet and still in conscious remained wolves in the porch and in the top of the Stairs of the One Thousand Steps.

But, through of the lightnings bright flashes, I was able to see that the old master was apparently exhausted to the high level and his clothes were tattered and he himself was greatly covered with the bruises and slightly covered with blood from his wounds he had received from the wolves.

"Master Shifu! We're all in the Palace! Get to the inside, now!" I shouted to him.

SHIFU'S POV

I was truly exhausted that it brought me some difficulties to even stand on my feet.

The wounds I received from the wolves blades and the numerous bruises from their punches and kicks from every corner affected to my physical strength... along with the pouring heavy rain that nearly pressed me against the ground.

However, as long as there was still wolves around and my students were inside of the Jade Palace fighting with all they have against the White Paw Clan's fiercest warriors, there was no time for the rest...

...not even close!

And now when most of a new fresh pack of wolves and gorilla's has been defeated, leaving only a several of them still on their feet and conscious...

...I believed that it was my time to retreat into the Jade Palace with the pandas too.

"Go ahead! I'm coming right behind of you!" I said to Po's fathers to ensure that everybody will be inside of the Jade Palace, once I get to the doors.

And with that, as well as a new punch of wolves heading straight towards Po and his fathers with the intention to kill them, I rushed towards the gates of the Jade Palace and after the trio in the need of help and the wolves who were about to attack them.

And to defeat them, I definitely wasn't gonna let my high leveled exhaustion - nor the punch of flea-filled dishonorable wolves - to slow me down.

At first I pulled Oogway's staff to my left side and then I swung towards the legs of first two wolves in the right side of me, knocking them both off their feet...

...after which I swung it back to the left, knocking the next wolf's sword off his paws, after which I turned around to the right and gave to the wolf the hard kick with my right leg to his stomach...

...and after that, I turned back to the left and placed with the quick move Oogway's staff's two-headed head beneath of the wolf's chin, to his throat actually, and holding with both of my hand from Oogway's staff, I pulled the wolf off the ground, swung him over my head and tossed him aside...

...and after that, I lunged myself forward, making the barrel roll in mid-air to turn myself around, that I was flying towards the gates of the Jade Palace my legs forward, which I used to kick to backs of the heads of couple wolves that had not seen me...

...and after which, I bounced from my kicks down bowed heads of the wolves towards the Jade Palace, and I made at the same time the somersault backwards while I was still flying towards the gates.

And with that, I was about to bump on my way standing wolf's, who was about to throw his spear at Po and his fathers.

And with the hard double-kick to his back, I sent the wolf to fly through the air and collide with the full speed against the gates of the Jade Palace, just next to Po and his fathers, barely missing them.

About eleven wolves all around of me saw this happening and instantly rushed towards me from each corner... with the intention to chop me into the pieces with their blades.

However, thanks to the luck that these wolves were a new ones and thanks to their apparent arrogance and excessive self-confidence - due to the fact that I was a small red panda, apparently exhausted and powerless against all of them, they didn't suspect anything what I was going to do so unexpectedly to them now.

I all suddenly stuck Oogway's stuff another end to the ground and threw myself to swing around of it with the high speed.

I swung myself around of the staff a couple times, knocking with the first one the blades off the wolves grasps and with the second one delivering the another series of kicks to the wolves faces, all hard enough to knock them all out cold, save two last ones...

...and for them, I swung yet another round around of the staff before tossing myself, with the staff in my grasp, towards the wolves. And as I was about to fly between of their heads, I delivered to both of them the hard kicks to their heads, knocking them aside and out.

Well, after them, I got after me more wolves, who were about to throw spears, and three of them were at least about to fire the arrows, at me... in the hope to hit me with them to kill me, as well as Po and his fathers, who were still standing in the outside of the gates.

Among of them was also another nasty wolf, that was about to throw a staff, at both ends of which was similar the long and wide serpentine blades like in some of the wolves swords... with the hope that they will either chop off my head or cut me in half from the middle.

And as they threw their spears and fired their arrows at me, I quickly twirled Oogway's staff in my hands from the side to another... knocking with it each spear thrown at me and each arrow fired at me off from its flight before anyone of them could hit either to me or Po and his fathers.

And after the arrows and spears, the wolf with the axes threw his twin-bladed staff towards me, that came towards me with the high speed and twirling in the lateral.

However, I managed to dodge to the right as the staff was turning into a sharp angle position during flight, and it flew past me, albeit very close to me and nearly hitting me... and it continued it's flight, hitting against and sinking into the gates of the Jade Palace, sending the sparks into the air, and remained stuck to it.

The pack then, each one of them, draw their swords out and charged towards me all together... hoping to beat me with the attack from every corner and all together.

However, thinking fast the way to beat them and with the one glance at the unconscious bodies of the wolves I had earlier beaten that were lying in front of the gates of the Palace, I started to lift them up with Oogway's staff and kick them towards the attackers.

All the unconscious wolves I sent to fly towards the wolves charging at me, bumped onto the charging wolves, knocking them all one by one - and I also managed to knock two or three wolves down with one wolf - off their feet and over to the ground.

And I kept doing this, until the porch was clean from the wolves... well, at least mostly from those ones on their feet and in conscious.

Only two was left and they charged towards me with the spears in a sharp angle positions in their paws, preparing to stab me with them together.

And before they did, I threw Oogway's staff into the air, because my next move required my both hands.

And after that, I leaped up and out of the way as the wolves draw their spears forward and struck their pointed tips to the stone floor of the porch.

And with that, I made at the same time a quick somersault in front of them and grabbed from their spears, pulling them with them as I flew over the wolves...

...and after that, I landed on my feet to the porch behind of the wolves and I pulled both of them from their spears off the ground, swung them over myself and tossed them both into the air and towards the stairs...

...landing on the stairs and probably rolling along them the long way down.

And after that, I leaped into the air and towards Oogway's staff, which I grabbed from the air...

...before I landed with my full weight on the top of the one wolf's head as he was attempting to attack Po and his fathers from behind with his sword lifted above of his head and preparing to strike with it to their backs starting with Po, knocking him out cold!

And after that, I bounced from the wolf's head, as he was falling over to the ground, towards the gates.

"GET TO INSIDE! HURRY! NO GOOD TO SAY OUTSIDE TO WAIT ANOTHER WAVE OF WOLVES AND GET KILLED!" I shouted to Po's fathers as I flew over Po's fathers through the gap to inside of the Jade Palace...

...after which, I bounced again from the Jade Palace's doors inner side towards two snow leopards with the chain-hammer and twin-bladed glaive, as they were about to attack the pandas, delivering the double-kick to their both's chest and sending them to fly aside...

...and far away from the pandas.

MR. PING'S POV

This of course wasn't the place where I was supposed to be as one of the villagers, who the warriors of the Valley of Peace were tasked to protect at all cost.

And, as a peace-loving goose and owner of the noodle restaurant, I extremely disliked the violence... at least if it that violence reached to my restaurant and caused the time after time the big mess in the both the kitchen and dining area.

But however, this place happened to be the Jade Palace... and not my restaurant... which was under of the full attack...

...by those barbaric savage wolves that nearly killed my and Li Shan's son! And now were about to kill all of us!

Luckily for us, Master Shifu had successfully defeated the several waves in the porch of the Jade Palace and left them to lie there as a carpet and piles of into unconscious knocked wolves and gorillas.

But started to feel myself - and the safety of my son - completely insecure once Master Shifu had leaped over us through of the gap between the doors and inside of the Jade Palace and leaving all three of us behind to outside...

...because even though the first waves of these savage wolves were apparently completely defeated, I still had the feeling that there was still even more wolves and gorillas hiding in the darkness of the night and this storm and waiting for the opportunity to attack!

And that's why we needed to get inside of the Palace as soon as possible.

We of course had to get through of the gap between of the doors, because out of the fear of a new massive attack wave, we did not dare open the doors wide open, because then the wolves would be able to get inside long before we could seal the doors again.

Li Shan was the first to get inside through of the narrow gap... and now it was our son's turn to get through of the gap to inside...

...leaving me to be the last in the outside.

I looked into the stormy horizon...

...and I could even swear that I saw numerous pairs of glowing blood-red eyes against the darkness all around of the porch of the Jade palace, and the bright lightning shot the threatening shadows of the wolves against the doors of the Jade Palace and over me... causing me to have goosebumps!

"Keep hurry, Li Shan! Get our son inside! it's starting to get really unpleasant here outside!" I hurried my son's panda father.

"All of time!" I heard Li Shan saying back, as he tried to fit Po through of the gap... which was hard enough for him too with such of big stomach.

And... just when it seemed things couldn't get any worse, they did!

I felt the ground under of my flat foot to shake like something had just landed to the porch with the full weight or something... and that was what caused me to solidify in place out of fear!

And, even though I didn't want to, I started slowly and shaking out of the fear to turn around to see that what had just landed behind of me.

And much to my shock, I saw the gigantic dark-blue furred gorilla with the tattoo of the blood-red Flaming Sun in his shoulder.

A huge brute looked down on us the vicious grin on his face.

And I just stared back in fear at him, unable to move like I was paralyzed by the fear.

And, before I managed to let out "squawk" out of my beak, the gorilla suddenly extended his massive hand towards us and grabbed from Po... taking him forcefully out of our paws, wings in my case, and lifted him up before of me and Li Shan, who had hurried out after seeing that someone outside was taking out son away from us forcefully.

We both watched in horror as the big brute held Po's limp form in the air and then the gorilla placed his finger beneath of Po's head and slightly, but far from gently, lifted his head up.

"Oh, this little flabby ball of fat totally took out the very serious beating on himself the last time we encountered... and look in what condition he is now. He is barely even capable to stand on his own." The gorilla said with a quite taunting tone.

"Now what shall we do with him? Shall I give him back to you two and let him suffer even more from his wounds before his time is up, or shall I put him out of his misery right now?" The gorilla tauntingly asked from us.

I just stared at this brute monster on my still, with my lower beak hanging out of shock. I also felt myself unable to move my legs nor my wings... probably because I got paralyzed by the shock and fear for Po... and the same thing seemed to have equally deep affect to Li Shan, as he also stood in next to me in still, probably as well paralyzed by the shock as he was unable to move his limbs and legs because of it, and with the shocked expression on his face as he watched how that monster hanged Po in his arms like the limp rag doll!

MONKEY'S POV

I was battling against the female leopard with the spear

trying to find a weak spot on each other's defense that both of us could use as an advantage to overcome the defense of each other... while we both kept dodging and blocking each others quick attacks and kicks and giving the quick attacks and kicks to one another with our long-handled weapons - as well as the quick kicks.

However, due to my exhaustion what I refused to show to the leopard and my refusal to give up, I was forced into defense position and left without a chance to make my counter-attack on the leopard... who kept punching me back and attacking me tirelessly, with the high speed and giving me numerous fast, fierce and nearly death-leading attacks with her spear.

However, when the leopard swung her spear's long, narrow and extremely sharp-edged spearhead towards my head, I quickly dodged out of the spearhead's blade before it would do any bad injure to my head...

...and during of which, I swung my three-section-staff with all strength I got towards the leopard's legs, to knock her off her feet.

However, the leopard already saw that coming and jumped into the air before my staff managed to hit her feet, causing me to hit merely the empty air.

Then I realized that I was the one who left my guard open and I was now at the mercy of my enemy.

And when the leopard was about to extend her right leg forward and towards me to deliver to my chest the kick, the leopard with the twin-bladed sword attacked to my left guard at the same time.

The leopards both delivered together two fierce kicks to my chest, forcing me to back off.

Their fierce kicks were together strong enough to force nearly all air out of me, that the pain I felt in my chest caught my full attention, as I resisted by bowing down in pain but placed my free hand over the sore spot in my chest.

However, the leopards used this as an advantage and leaped towards me.

The twin-bladed sword wielding leopard swung alternately his weapons both long and wide extremely sharp-edged blades with curved spiked and notches towards my head, forcing me to finally give up to the pain and bow my head down to avoid getting decapitated by the leopard...

...who, however, turned around to his left side, during of which he lifted and recoiled his left leg and extended it forward as he swung it towards me, delivering yet another fiery kick right to the sore spot in my chest, causing me to retreat yet a couple steps backwards.

And right on the second step, the leopard with the spear leaped over her fellow leopard and towards me, making a couple barrel rolls in the air and delivering the kick to my faces with her left leg...

...causing me to fly on my back against the one of the Jade Palace's door's outer side, and the collision against the door made me to groan loudly out of pain.

Then I leaned against the door, panting heavily out of exhaustion and being badly covered by the numerous bruises all over my body.

But I wasn't out of the game... not at least yet.

And when I lifted my head up to see my towards me incoming foes...

...but before I could recover enough and take a new stance for a new counter-attack against the leopards...

...my attention was completely turned/locked to Po's fathers, who were still standing outside.

But before I was even able to say to both of them _"What are you two still doing here outside?! Get inside?!"_ , my attention was the caught by the horrible sight Po's panda and goose father were staring at.

The gigantic gorilla, carrying the tattoo of the Blood-red Flaming Sun in his shoulder, and who was holding the severely wounded Po with his hand in the air and was about to hammer him to death with his massive bare fists!

"PO! BUDDY!" I let out the scream!

However, before I was even able to react this, the spear flew unexpectedly out of nowhere and struck to the door right next to my head's right side and remained to hang at a sharp angle in the door!

Unexpectedly into the door next to my head flown spear that sent from the impact against the door the sparks on my faces, that caused me to turn my head away from the spark to protect my eyes, surprised me extremely badly, because the weapon had just barely missed from hitting directly to my head.

And, before I was even able to recover from it, the leopards attacked me.

The female leopard pulled her spear off from the door...

...while the leopard with the twin-bladed sword attacked me by swinging his weapon towards my head to slice it in half!

By my reflexes, I lifted my three-section-staff up and blocked the leopard's weapon's blade from hitting my head.

Angered of this, the leopard responded to this by kicking with his knee to my stomach that forcefully pushed over half of my breath out of me, thus causing me to let pout the loud gasp out of pain and nearly making me to bow down out in pain.

However, I had to resist it... so that I could warn the others about Po being in the life-threatening trouble.

"GUYS! PO'S IN TROUBLE! SOMEBODY IN HERE TO HELP PO'OOOOOOOO!" I screamed, as the leopard grabbed from me and pulled me forcefully back inside, for another whacking round.

LI SHAN'S POV

Monkey's loud scream for help to Po was the one thing that snapped me out from the trance of horror.

After which, I immediately turned to look at my son in the hands and at the mercy of the merciless brute gorilla, who was preparing to pummel MY SON, as he lifted his right fist up and squeezed his fingers into the massive fists.

Even though I did not want to do this with pleasure, I turned around and headed for the gap between the gates of the Jade Palace to have some help for Po.

"PO IS IN TROUBLE! GIVE ME SOMETHING USEFUL TO HELP HIM! QUICK!" I shouted inside of the Hall of Warriors, hoping that even somebody from the Furious Five or the pandas, who were still standing in behind of the gates instead of moving along the wast-wall of the hall to the another side of the hall.

And then, I saw Viper, who was at the moment chased by the leopard swinging his double-edged ax on her. Viper did her best to dodge every strike from the leopards ax as the leopard attempted to either chop Viper in half or decapitate her head off.

Fortunately that Viper was fast enough to narrowly dodge even the highly experienced warrior's attacks, leaving the furious leopard to strike the empty air and the jade floor of the Hall, making the punch of sparks to fly everywhere in the each strike.

Viper seemed to head towards the wooden stand, on which was standing one of Hall of Heroes artifacts, The turtle-shaped shell armor, which was a bit similar to the object called the tortoise shell restraint, but with the several other guards and the helmet. I didn't know that whose ancient artifact that shell actually was, either Oogway's or some other turtle Kung Fu master...

...and right now, I wasn't interested to find out that to whom it belonged.

Viper quickly leaped from the ground towards the armor and retaining her slithering speed, she wrapped herself around of it and kept slithering around of the armor... as if to gain more speed.

And, as the leopard with the double-edged axes attacked, Viper took the firm hold from the armor and swung it off from its stand towards the leopard, knocking the turtle armor to his masked face and knocking the leopard over to the ground.

And after that, as she kept swinging the armor in her coils, Viper turned to me.

"LI SHAN! USE THIS!" She cried, as she released her grip from the armor and let it freely fly past of the pandas and towards me.

She was giving to me something longer than a hand? Brilliant!

I quickly grabbed with both of my paws from the armor and rushed to outside.

And then, I charged towards the giant gorilla, as the brute draw his fist backwards to aim his strike to Po and to gain the speed and pace for his strike, which was then when I lifted the armor above of my head and threw it to the gorilla's faces.

The armor hit to the right side of the gorilla's faces, letting into the deep yet loud sound of CLANG from the impact.

The CLANG also seemed to snap Mr. Ping out of his own trance.

My in the Kung Fu training advanced strength and the weight and mass of the turtle shell together managed to cause the Gorilla's head to turn to the left from the impact and even to lean too sharply to backwards, that the gorilla was forced to use his hands to maintain his balance from the strike... swinging at the same time my son in his filthy hands like the rag doll!

And, when the gorilla finally managed to maintain his balance, he at first rubbed with his hand his right cheek, revealing that the armor had left the quite big bruise along with the some bleeding scratches to his cheek.

And with that, the gorilla turned to both of us, me and Mr. Ping, taking the very menacing and furious look on his face as he stared down on us, growling menacingly and in rage.

However, for Po's sake, I didn't show any sign of fear to face this barbarian!

And neither, apparently, didn't Mr. Ping.

"PUT OUR SON DOWN! NOW!" I fiercely demanded with the battle-ready stance, even though I had no weapon in my grasp right now and even though I knew that as an Kung Fu student and less-experienced tenderfoot warrior, I may have no chance to beat the bigger and stronger gorilla in the single combat.

"OR ELSE YOU'RE GONNA GET FROM BOTH OF US A SUCH OF LESSON WHAT YOU WILL NOT VERY SOON FORGET!" Mr. Ping demanded too, though the peace-loving goose's threat sounded like that he was just bluffing with that "both of us" part... even though he as an another father of my son meant it.

The gorilla looked down on us, unimpressed of our stand against him, but however...

...the evil smirk appeared out of nowhere to his bruised lips.

"As you wish." He said, with the dark sense of humor.

And with that, the gorilla leaned a bit on his left and pulled his from Po's injured body holding hand backwards, like he was about to throw Po by brutal force away, much to our horror, because we at first believed that the gorilla would turn around to the edge of the Jade Palace's stone porch and hurl Po from the top of the Jade Mountain to his death...

...however, as he them moved forwards, he pulled also his from Po holding hand forward, without turning around to the edge of the Jade Palace's stone porch, and instantly hurled Po by the brutal force towards the doors of the Jade Palace!

TIGRESS' POV

I turned my attention to Monkey, as he was running from him fiercely attacking leopards with the twin-bladed sword and the spear from the doors of the Jade Palace by jumping backwards on his hands and then he bounced back on his feet and so on, barely evading every time the leopards quick and deadly attacks with their weapon's long blades, which the leopard aimed to alternately to Monkey's legs, limbs, head and back.

"Uh... a little help, Tigress?!" Monkey asked as he kept avoiding the leopards blades.

After Monkey landed again on his feet, he quickly leaped again backwards to avoid the twin-bladed-sword wielding leopard's blade and he directed it towards his legs. During of his leap, Monkey made the lateral somersault and then he pulled hard with both of his hands his back into the long staff formed three-section-staff's another blunt end against the jade floor to make himself to bounce higher with the support of his staff and fly out of the reach as the leopards made their another move against him.

It worked, as Monkey struck his staff's end against the ground with all his strength, he leaped more higher and narrowly avoided the leopards towards him swinging and stabbing blades.

I used this as my advantage to take the leopards down out surprise, as I rushed from beneath of in the air flying Monkey towards the leopards while their attention was still locked at Monkey.

After I reached in front of the leopards, I stood up on my left leg, lifted up and coiled my right leg and whirled myself around.

And it was then when I landed with all my strength my right leg down and lifted my left leg up as I turned to the leopards, bouncing from the ground and swinging my left leg towards the leopards faces, even though they were behind of their upwards lifted arms.

However, once I made my move, it caught the leopards attentions from Monkey to me and they lowered their from their weapons holding arms down to see me, only to make the way clear for my towards their faces swinging left leg ready to deliver the kicks to their masked faces.

My leg managed to reach to their faces before they were able to react to my attack, and the power of my kick against their faces and the impact was strong enough to cause the leopards to make the lateral somersault in the air as they flew aside... partially knocked out.

That was quite rough attack, which hurt as much to them as it hurt to my leg. It was not nice and painless to kick to the faces of the enemy who possess the stone-hard metallic masks to cover/protect their faces.

I knelt down on my right leg, as I took hold from the sore spots in my leg and gritted in pain... though usually it was not my way to feel physically the pain.

However, I did not get peace for a moment to check my leg before two other leopards, one with the twin-bladed glaive and another with the chain-hammers appeared in next to me and lifted their weapons above of their heads... ready to land them on me to strike me down!

However, it was then when my attention was caught by the doors of the Jade Palace, which were unexpectedly and roughly slammed to open like something massive flying boulder or something had just hit to them.

And when they were slammed open, the doors moving with the brutal pace slammed against the backs of the pandas, who were still standing in front of the doors, knocking each one of them roughly over to the ground.

However, that _something_ that had just slammed the doors open and what I saw flying in the full pace through the air space of the Hall of Warriors from the doors, was far away from the lifeless boulder.

 _It was PO!_

I didn't know that was that either intentionally or unintentionally, Po's apparently still limp, broken, wounded and badly battered body flew through the air space of the Hall of Warriors and towards the leopards with his backside ahead.

Po bumped into them, taking them both with him with his body's mass.

However, almost immediately after bumping to the leopards, Po's flight was roughly cut as he collided roughly against one of the jade pillars of the Hall of heroes on his flying route, smashing and nearly squeezing the leopards between of the pillar and his body's mass.

Po's flying speed was in that level that it caused the pillar to bent roughly backwards under of the weight of his body, causing the pillar to nearly break in half and nearly tore both the ends of the pillar off from the ceiling and the jade floor.

Po let out of his mouth the loud and within my chest torturing sounding cry of pain, as he fell from the broken pillar and landed roughly on his stomach to the ground, and the leopards, knocked out, fell to the ground as well ans remained to lie in the ground.

And after that, Po remained lying down in the ground, with no even a single attempt - probably not even the strength - to get up, which told me clearly that the whole thing what Po just did was not intention.

As I realized this, I gasped in horror!

"PO!" I cried, as I quickly forget the slight pain in my leg and bounced onto my feet to get to Po.

After I reached to his side, I wrapped my paws around of him and with all my strength I got left, I lifted Po up from the ground.

I also, much to my surprise, found out that I've got out of nowhere the extra strength, even though I felt myself totally beat a seconds ago from the hard and difficult fight against these leopards.

I knew that Po was quite heavy, but still I was lifting him up from the ground just as he never even had his well-known overweight. Pretty weird thing I have to say.

However, whatever it was, I cared less of it. My main coal was to get Po somewhere to safety and hide from the eyes of these savage leopards"

I lifted his right arm over my shoulder and kept my left arm wrapped around of him.

"Po, lean on me." I said with the very concerned tone, as I was very concerned for his well-being and safety.

And with that, after I had a bit helped Po to lean on me, I started to move his limp wounded form away from the fight.

However, I managed to take only a couple steps, until we were under attack by these leopards... once again!

And this time, the attackers were the leopards with the trident and the nunchaku-swords.

"WHOA! PO, LOOK OUT!" I cried, as I reacted to the leopards attacks by lifting Po's arm off my shoulder and moving him forward and behind of me, as I myself stood in the way of the leopards weapons, protecting Po's body with my own.

The nunchaku-swords wielding leopard's blades tips caused two deep cuts above of my elbow after I narrowly managed to move Po out of their way to prevent them to make any more cuts to him... and this was followed by the trident, which blades' extremely sharp and cold tips - as well as sharp-pointed notches near of the blades tips - scratched three long cuts into my back, causing me to let out the roar out of the pain, and when the cold airflow following the blades hit against my a new fresh wounds, they send the shivers to ran through of my bare upper body.

However, despite the fresh wounds I just received, I hardly ignored the pain in my back and above of my elbow as I proceed by dragging Po far away from the reach of these savage warriors...

...while these leopard warriors remained to stand still on the placed onto which they had landed.

The trident wielding leopard started to spun his long-handled weapon in his paws as he raised it above of his head, until he eventually moved it to his head's left side and with the light speed he swung his weapons flame-like blades in the lateral arch through the air to his right side... sending from it the sharp and white-blue glowing line in the air.

The nunchaku-swords wielding leopard also started to spun her nunchucks loose blade-ended heads in front of her with the high speed, making the twirling blades to look like the glowing rings in the bright lighting, and after that, the leopard pulled her arms and weapons downwards, crossing her arms three times and making with it the blades of her weapons to hit against the each others, sending the sparks to fly off the blades during the impacts.

 _Show off_ , I snarled between of my teeth, as I glared at the leopards with the furious glare.

And after Po was safely beyond of their reach, I stepped in between of his and the leopards, taking my katanas in my paws and twirling them briefly in my arms before I took from their handles the firm grip.

"Who's first?!" I growled darkly at the leopards.

LI SHAN'S POV

" _SON_!" Both I and Mr. Ping cried in horror as we witnessed our son being thrown inside of the Jade Palace roughly like the rag doll!

And then, we both heard the loud and mocking laugh behind of us...

...which caused both of us to turn around from the direction, to where Po had been just thrown, and to look at the gorilla, whose shadow fell upon us menacingly in the bring lighting in the stormy dark sky.

Mr. Ping ran behind of my back for the cover, quacking like the goose - well, he is goose after all - but I remained in there where I was standing.

And then, for what the Gorilla just did, I felt the anger spreading within myself as the blood in my veins started to boil fiercely, as I stared angrily at the gorilla.

"HEY! THAT WASN'T NICELY DONE!" I furiously said to the gorilla, shaking my fist at the gorilla.

If I just had some weapon within my paws at the moment, I would make that Gorilla physically pay for what he just did to Po.

"Shutupshutupshutupshutup!" I heard Mr. Ping whispering to me behind of my back, probably considering me to be the big fool for trying to look tough in front of the bigger and stronger opponent.

The gorilla, with the unimpressed look in his face, crouched down in front of us with the dark mocking grin.

"Either there's something wrong with my ears or why I do remember you saying yourself in front of me with your so-called "panda-father's thunder voice" that "PUT OUR SON DOWN, NOW!" Gorilla said to us, raising his voice and mockingly imitating my words earlier, that his loud tone echoed in the stormy sky.

"But I don't remember you saying "nicely and easily" and to where put him down. You did forgot to say that, didn't ya? Didn't ya, flabby panda?" The gorilla mocked, as he moved his hand closer of me and unexpectedly flung his finger upwards, slapping with it to my faces.

The wolves, who had appeared all around of the stone porch in front of the Jade Palace's gates, burst into the loud, in the stormy sky echoing and mocking laugh!

And then, the gorilla jumped back on his feet, and his mocking grin on his face turned into menacing look with the loud and angry growl!

"And now, INSIDE!" The gorilla roared, as he kicked with his leg me and Mr. Ping inside of the Palace from the gates like some kicking ball or something.

Both of us flew the short flight through the air and landed on our backs to the jade floor a bit away from the gates.

And lucky for Mr. Ping that he didn't landed to the spot into which I was about to land. Poor goose would have been squeezed between of my own weight and the Hall's jade floor.

Then, the Gorilla and his wolf-minions were about to step into the Hall.

As I was slowly climbing up from the floor, I kept my angry look locked to the Gorilla's own.

And the gorilla stared back at me.

"Pathetic! You're perfect to nothing else but the flabby kicking ball for my and the rest of my kind!" The Gorilla said mockingly, as he came closer to me and stretched his right arm towards me as an attempt to grab to me and pick me up from the ground...

...even though I didn't know that for what. Either to smash me against the stone-hard jade floor or wall or throw me off from the top of the Jade Mountain.

However, the gorilla halted like into the wall.

The gorilla then lowered his eyes down that he was no longer staring right at me...

...but rather to his right leg like he had got something into his leg.

And, in fact, he had.

LEI LEI!

The little panda had escaped from Grandma Panda's watchful guard and rushed to our "aid" as she hit the gorilla's toes with two of Po's action figures, the ones that resembles Tigress and Mantis.

"You're mean! You're mean! Beat the mean one, Stripey Baby! Beat the mean one, Green Baby!" Lei Lei said as she kept whacking the gorilla's toes with the action figures.

I have to give to her that, despite the alternative facts that she either knew what she was doing or then not, she was very brave for her age.

At least the little panda managed to save my and Mr. Ping's lives by distracting the gorilla long enough, so that me and Mr. Ping could crawl away.

However, as the gorilla started to growl menacingly down to Lei Lei, which apparently frightened the little panda that she instantly stopped whacking the gorilla's toes and backed off for a couple step.

"You little FURRY BRAT!" The gorilla loudly roared to Lei Lei,

As the gorilla turned completely towards Lei Lei, I couldn't just leave her there to die in the hands of this massive brute!

So I quickly climbed on my feet and rushed towards the gorilla and Lei Lei.

I also saw Grandma Panda and Hugger Panda rushing towards Lei Lei, with their both paws stretched out towards Lei Lei in order to reach to her and take her with them to safety, far away from the gorilla.

That told me that I had to distract the gorilla, to make it turn its full attention from Hugger and Grandma Panda and Lei Lei to me instead of them, to buy them time to get away from near of that barbarian!

However, I chose my words wrong in the wrong time.

"HUGGER! GRADMA! GET LEI LEI AND GET AWAY FROM HERE!" I cried, and when I realized my mistake, it was too late.

I had revealed to the gorilla Grandma's and Hugger's attentions, and when the gorilla spotted them incoming, as well as he spotted me incoming...

...the gorilla squeezed his fingers into the fists and crossed his arms, getting ready for the strike.

And eventually, the gorilla spread his arm and aimed his fists towards the pandas and me with the brutal force.

His left arm's fist stroke me to my faces and send me to fly in arch through the air against one of the pillars of the Hall, and his right arm's fist knocked both Hugger and Grandma Panda aside, sending them to fly to the corner of the Hall.

And after we were completely out of his way, Lei Lei was at the mercy of the brute!

 **To be continued...**

 **I hope that all of you, who reads this story, enjoyed this chapter...**


	30. 30: Tigress VS Gorilla

**********CHAPTER 30: TIGRESS VS GORILLA  
**********

 **ENJOY THE READING!**

TIGRESS POV

The leopard with the nunchaku-swords attacked at first, spinning her weapons with the fierce speed as she directed the blades towards my legs and my neck at the same time, probably hoping me to choose to protect one of them while leaving another one unguarded and at the mercy of attack.

And if she believed that I'm the fool enough to leave anything open, she was the one who was fool!

At first, crossed my arms from my katanas holding arms in the angular position and I waited for the get closer to me.

And when the female leopard warrior swung her nunchaku-swords long blades towards my legs from down and towards my neck from above, I spread my arms in time to block her weapons blades from reaching to their targets with the fatal power.

My counter attack surprised the leopard that it left her guard open... perfect advantage for me!

And then, I focused my weight onto my right leg, while I lifted my left leg up from the ground, recoiled it and quickly extended it, delivering the strong kick to the leopard's stomach, sending her to fall tumbling over to the jade floor.

And then, the trident-wielding leopard attacked next, attempting to stab me to my stomach.

But I quickly whirled myself around to avoid the trident's blades, that missed my bare stomach's skin only with a one inch... and the same thing happened again as I bent myself backwards to make my middle body to move forward to avoid the leopard's weapon's staff's another end's trident-blades from slicing me to my lumbar!

And after that, I took another defensive stance, as the leopard lifted his weapon up, above of his head and attacked!

The leopard swung his weapon's another trident-bladed end with the vertical swing directly towards me, as an attempt to slice my head in half!

However, I crossed my katanas blades together to block such of attack and preventing the trident's blades from reaching to my head.

The impact of the blades created spark, close of my faces, that it forced me to briefly close my eyes and turn them away from the sparks.

But it didn't distrub my focus to my situation completely.

I gathered some strength into my arms and started to push the leopard's trident backwards.

However, right after that and unexpectedly for the leopard, I pulled my katana's blades down and off from the leopard's own weapons and I leaped into the air and towards the leopard, performing right after that the barrel roll in the air to my left side, during of which I coiled my right leg ready for the another counter-attack. And once I was turning back face to face with the surprised leopard, I extended my leg towards the leopard and delivered another hard kick to his stomach, sending him to fly aside.

And when I eventually landed on my feet to the jade floor, sweaty, exhausted and heavily panting, I landed my paws over my knees in order to rest a bit, now when I finally got even a one moment for the peace and time to catch my breath and gather some strength...

"STRIPEY BABY, HELP!" Heard the panicking cry.

"Lei Lei?"

I heard that little panda's usually sweet voice, now in the tone of panic, calling for my help from the gates of the Jade Palace.

And when I turned my attention towards the gates, and much to my horror...

...the large gorilla, surrounded by the several wolves, wrapped his left hand's fingers around of Lei Lei and lifted him off the ground to the level with his head.

"Lei Lei! NO!" I cried, as I started to rush towards Gorilla with Lei Lei in his first fist.

However, I was eventually blocked by three of these leopards, one with the chain-hammers (or what was left from them anyway), second with the dragon-headed dual three-section-staff and the last one with the Shen's symbol resembling twin-bladed glaive!

And soon, along of them joined the rest of the leopards, having beaten and knocked all my friends and my master aside... and know, they were all joined together against me!

They were all blocked my reach to the Gorilla... and Lei Lei!

I peeked over them to see that what the gorilla was about to do with a little Lei Lei!

I saw clearly Lei Lei's head and part of her upper body in sight and above of the gorilla's into the fists squeezed left hand, where the little panda tried desperately struggle in between of the gorilla's around of her wrapped fingers to get herself free from the gorilla's firm grip, but that did not help her!

"I wished to meet in single combat some warriors here, not flabby pandas!" The gorilla angrily growled at Lei Lei as he suddenly started to brutally and sadistically shake his fist in the air and poor little Lei Lei with it.

The gorilla eventually stopped from shaking his fist and Lei Lei with it and eyed apparently a dizzy Lei lei for a minute.

"Pandas! Why they always have to be so soft and so wobbly?" The Gorilla said with the disappointment.

Then, the gorilla lifted his right hand up and slowly moved it to above of Lei Lei.

"But if so, then let's see how easily it is to _snap_ this little one's _neck_ with two fingers!" The gorilla said sadistically, as he coiled his right hands fingers together, with the exception of thumb and forefinger, which he moved towards of Lei Lei's head in attempt to actually do so what he just threatened to do!

That was the last drop!

Seeing the gorilla preparing to kill Lei Lei really triggered my super-sensitive and feral aggression on the move, and I felt how my anger spreaded within me like the some disease spreading through if the land!

I was once again losing the control over myself, which was placed by the burning and feral rage!

I squeezed my in anger shaking fingers into in anger shaking fists

I felt my tail behind of me swinging from side to side rapidly!

I felt my blood in my veins boiling into the heat level of fire!

My eye pupils turned streaked and I narrowed my eyes in rage!

I felt how each one of my muscles and the furious look in my face hardened to rock-hard from the burning rage dwelling inside of me!

I also felt my feral animal instincts taking over me, as I bared my fangs and I loudly and furiously growled at the leopards in front of me!

My furious look seemed to have an affect to the leopards in front of me, as they also backed off away from me.

They were afraid of me? Good! Because they, especially that gorilla behind of them, should learn to never mess with the tiger with the super-sensitive aggression.

However, I knew that they would try to stop me from reaching to the gorilla and Lei Lei!

My instincts firmly ordered me to take all of them down, but because of I having too little time to reach to the gorilla before he managed to do his mortal stuff with poor little Lei Lei, I definitely had no time to deal with all of them if I wanted to get to the gorilla and Lei Lei in time.

I definitely needed to low the feral aggression and the high pressure of anger within me, if I wanted to have some self-control over myself and my wrath and communicate with the others

And with that, I released my fists and extended my claws out as I spread my arms behind of me, and I also released as much pressure and aggression outta me - to have even some control over myself under of my feral rage - by letting out of my mouth the loud, in the hall's air space echoing and extremely furious roar out of my mouth.

My roar, which caused the leopards in front of me to back off even more far away from me, startled everybody in the Hall of the Warriors, friends and enemies alike, and it also draw the attention of all my friends to me.

"GUYS! CLEAR MY PATH TO THE DOORS!" I roared loudly...

...as I crouched down to grab my katanas, which I had dropped to the floor when I was momentarily taken over by my anger, back into my paws!

And when my swords were in my paws, I focused all my strength, which were increased to the high level by my nearly uncontrollable aggression, into my legs for the high leap!

And then, letting out of another loud roar into the air space of the Hall of the Warriors, I bounced high into the air!

The leopard with the chain hammers snapped out of his frightened state at first and reacted to my leap by immediately triggering his counter-attack against me by swinging his chain-hammers chains upwards and towards me.

But even though his chains missed from hitting me, albeit deliberately, the leopard started to wave the chains along with his own paws in circles to create the round tunnel-like air space "inside" of the circling chains, which he soon combined the tunnels of the circling chains together and eventually directed them towards me, in attempt to wrap the chains around of me and capture me into them.

The leopard indeed managed to wrap the rounded tunnels of the circling chains around of me...

...but however, I had already and fully prepared for this by crossing my katanas holding arms together, but keeping the swords outer sharp edges of my blades outside in case not to hurt myself in the process...

...but before the leopard managed to pull from the chains to tighten them around of me, I performed the barrel roll to my left side in the air and in middle of around of me circling chains. And after that, I spread my arms and my katanas along with them in the arches to upwards, after which I started to perform with my swords the both swift lateral and vertical slashes directed to both downwards and upwards and to every direction, slicing the remains of the leopard's chain hammer's chains into pieces... much to the leopard's shock!

During of my self-liberation, I had managed to capture two long parts of the chains with my swords blades for the use...

And so, after I performed one single somersault in the air as I flew over the leopard and landed on my feet to the ground, I started to circle my swords in the air to make the chains in my swords chains ti spin from their middle parts around of my blades.

And when I bounced forward, away from the leopard, I performed the barrel roll in the air to my left and swung both of my swords in the lateral arches to the direction of the leopard, releasing the chains from my blades and sending them to fly laterally spinning in the different levels in the air directly towards the leopard, as he had snapped out of his shock and turned towards me after I had somersaulted over of his head and landed behind of his back...

...only to get himself quickly wrapped into and tied up by the laterally spinning chain, that flied in the lower level in the air but ahead of the second one flying and laterally spinning in the upper level in the air, with its ends swiftly wrapping themselves around of each other into the tight knot.

And right after that, in the upper level flying and laterally spinning chains eventually collided hard against and swiftly wrapped themselves around of the leopard's masked face, knocking... or more likely pulling... the leopard hard to backwards, off his feet and onto his back over to the jade floor.

MONKEY'S POW

Heavily panting, sweaty and quite bruised from the beating from these leopards, I took support from my staff - which I had managed to reclaim from the ground after it was kicked off from my hands - with both of my hands as I placed its lower head against the ground.

And it was not until then I heard Tigress roaring "GUYS! CLEAR MY PATH TO THE DOOR!"

Her roar caught my attention, as I followed her with my eyes as she dealt with the leopard with the chain-hammers quite swiftly, as was about to land towards the leopards with the spear and the trident.

"MONKEY!" Tigress roared, as she landed onto the leopards _very nice hats_ and bounced from them back into the air.

And, as a bit dizzy but quickly from it recovered leopards turned to Tigress and lifted their weapons above of their heads with one paw, positioned them into a sharp angle position and pulled their from their weapons staves holding arms backwards, preparing themselves to throw their weapons into the air and towards her, hoping one of them to hit her with the fatal consequences...

...without asking and quickly thinking, I leaped myself upwards through of the pillar standing next to me.

And after I reached to top of it, I launched myself down towards the leopards.

I landed in between of the leopards, who halted their arms from throwing their weapons at Tigress, and looked down at me with the surprised looks in their faces, though I didn't saw that due to their masks.

And then, I leaped in the air again to the level of their chests, and I executed the split-punch-kick with my legs to both opposite directions, kicking to the leopards chests and knocking them both aside and over to the ground... before I landed safely back on my feet.

VIPER'S POW

"VIPER!" I heard Tigress calling me, as I witnessed from the next of the pillar her bouncing into the air after dealing with couple leopards with Monkey's help.

The next leopard, whom Tigress was about to pass through the air, was the leopard with the dual dragon-headed three-section-staves.

The leopard, as he was looking at Tigress instead of me, swung his weapons backwards and was about to straighten them towards Tigress and release the fiery flow outta of his weapons dragon-heads...

...and after witnessing the power of his weapon, as well as witnessing Monkey's reaction after Tigress called his name...

...I quickly sneaked/slithered towards the leopard's legs and I quickly coiled myself three times around of them.

And then, as the leopard was about to straighten his three-section-staves and release the fiery flow upon Tigress, I quickly slithered away from the leopard and pulled with one hard pull my coils towards me, which tightened around of the leopard's legs and pulled them together.

And as I slithered away, I also pulled the leopard's legs along with me to make the leopard to fall over on his nose before I released my coiled from around of his legs and slithered back behind of the pillar.

My shifty move had truly got the leopard out of surprise, as he found out too late that someone had tied up his legs together until his legs were suddenly pulled off away from beneath of him, causing him to fall forwards and land on his nose to the jade floor...

...and during of this, he spread his paws around by reflexes, and at the same time straightened his three-section-staves to the right side of him, that his weapons loose ends' dragon heads released the fiery flows from their mouths, that smashed against the pillar.

Angrily growling from my move and its consequences, including Tigress getting away from his reach, the leopard attempted to get up...

...but I quickly slithered back to the leopard and coiled myself around of the leopard, tying him up and thus causing him to fall back on his nose to the floor. Then I tightened my coils around of him so tight to prevent him from getting up from the ground.

The leopard rolled and struggled against the firm grip of my could around of him, but despite that it hurt me a bit to remain under of the weight of the leopard and his armor as he rolled around or remained either on his back or on his stomach to the ground, I couldn't let him go free from my grip.

For the student of Tai Lung, this one wasn't as strong like him to free himself. It wouldn't have been trouble for Tai Lung to free himself if I had wrapped myself tightly around of him during of our team's first struggle with Tai Lung.

MANTI'S POW

"MANTIS!" I heard Tigress calling my name...

...as I witnessed from the next of the pillar as she landed on her feet to the ground and in the next of the double-edged axe wielding leopard, who immediately started to swung his large weapon's sharp-edged blades towards Tigress.

Tigress, however, placed her katanas back into their sheaths in her back instead of using them to defend herself against the axe and began to alternately bow and jump out of the way of each lateral swing of his axe that was targeted to her neck or her legs, and she also dodged alternately to the right and to the left or retreated backwards on the each strike that was targeted both in vertical or lateral swing towards her upper body...

...and she also used her physically stone-hard arms to block the leopard's several attacks by lifting up and positioning her arms on the way of the axe's long and stone-hard bamboo-handle or the leopard's shielded arms, turning the axe to the different direction and away from her, until the leopard was capable to try to hit her again.

However... Tigress did not attacked herself to the leopard but rather remained in the defensive stance against his attacks.

I at least knew that it was not about that Tigress is in trouble and needs help, because as an leader of the Furious Five Tigress never gets herself into the trouble, and it should be easy for her to deal with the one leopard... even though these leopards skills reached to the level that was a bit over of their own teams limits.

"MANTIS!" Tigress called me again, though with far more impatient tone than with the first one as she kept fighting the leopard by dodging and blocking his attacks.

I started to think hard that for what Tigress had called me for twice, and it took about five minutes from me to think the reason of it, which from took me a little time to realize that Tigress did not even intend to make a counter-attack against the leopard at all, but she rather intended to save the counter-attack part for me.

And with that, I quickly bounced through the jade floor towards her...

...while Tigress kept fighting the leopard for her dear life.

While I charged towards them to aid her, I witnessed that Tigress dodged the leopard's first and from his left side in the lateral arch incoming strike with his double-edged axe by backing away for a few steps and pulling her exposed stomach backwards out of the way of the axe, which was directed towards Tigress stomach by the leopard's right paw, in the process.

And right after that, the leopard pulled his axe for the second attack in the lateral arch from his right side back to his left side and directly towards Tigress head with the intention to split it in half, only for Tigress to quickly bow down out of the blade's way, as it flew over of her head and just above of the hair of backsides of her head and shoulder.

And right after which, while the leopard was lifting his axe with both of his paws upwards in his left side, Tigress bounced up into the air, curled up into the ball and performed the somersault in sideways in the air to her right, timely avoiding the next laterally downwards directed strike from the leopard's axe, which was supposed to hit to Tigress' back while she was still in the bowing position after the leopard's second failed attack.

And after that evasive move and in sideways performed somersault in the air, Tigress landed back on her feet to the ground.

And after that, she quickly lifted her head up and hurriedly peeked over her left shoulder to look behind of her back and to my direction, probably to see if I was coming towards her and the axe-wielding leopard at all. And judging from her into wide widened eyes, she managed to spot me incoming towards her from behind of her back.

Angrily growling that he had missed Tigress with his every three attempt to strike her, the leopard tried to use Tigress short moment as his advantage and attacked again, this time by releasing the grasp of his left paw from his axe's handle and swinging his axe with the powerful swing to his left side and over of his head to his right side, until he pulled his axe from his right side with the one powerful and fast-paced lateral arching swing to forward and towards Tigress, with the intention to split her in half from her waist and to kill her.

Tigress quickly snapped out of her focus on me as the axe was coming right towards her from above with the deadly power... and she reacted to this by quickly bending her right leg downwards that made her to fall to her right, that her finger tips touched the floor, as the ax-blade flew over her.

And that smoothly and narrowly performed evasive movement resulted the leopard's axe to miss her left shoulder and her backside with the inch, though the axe's blade managed to cut some tips of her hair from her bare back, and judged from the upwards standing hair in her back, a gust of wind caused by the high speed in the lateral arch over of her back, neck and backside of her head flied wide and heavy axe's blade caused her to get some shivers that ran through of her upper body.

And then, the leopard attempted to kill her again by swinging his axe over of his head with his right paw through of his left side, until he grabbed from the axe's handle with both of his paws and held it behind of both his back and head, preparing himself for his next strike. And then, the leopard eventually pulled his axe from behind of his back and over of his head for the vertical strike towards Tigress with the intention to either execute her by decapitating her head off from her shoulder or sink the axe's wide and heavy blade onto Tigress exposed back to kill her.

However, Tigress soon and hurriedly moved to her left and onto her left together bent leg, avoiding either her head from being decapitated or her back from being split from the middle by the leopard's incoming axe's blade, until she eventually bounced timely up from the ground, avoiding her right leg from being chopped off, as the heavy weapon's blade landed hard and loudly against the jade floor.

Tigress then performed the barrel roll in the air, spinning rapidly around while flying sideways in the arch through the air and from the axe's landing spot's right side to its left, during of which, the leopard pulled his large axe off from the ground and the villainous feline once again swung his axe with his right paw over of his head from his left side.

And after Tigress had finally landed back on her feet to the ground after her evasive movement and arching flight over the leopard's into the ground sunk axe, Tigress quickly turned her back to the leopard that her eyes were looking at my direction. And after which, she swiftly bent her left leg down and forward while leaning herself forward onto it, stretched her arms forward and opened her paws towards me, gesturing me to jump onto her paws.

And once I did so, the leopard was already swinging with his right paw his large axe in the lateral arch for the another strike directed to the right side of Tigress' waist, during of which the leopard also grabbed with his right paw to his one-handled and double-edged hand axe, taking it off from his belt, lifting it above of his head and pulling it downwards and towards Tigress' back or backside of her head... attempting to kill her for one last time with the combined strength of his arms and the weight of his axes.

"I'm going to throw you at him, so get ready!" Tigress whispered to me as she closed her paws around of me, hiding me from the eyes of the leopard for the surprise counter-attack, turned swiftly around to face our common enemy and pulled her arms backwards ready for the double-strike, the very similar strike Tigress usually executes onto the Training Hall's swinging clubs while training.

And then, as the leopard was about to land his axes onto Tigress...

...Tigress then pulled her paws hard forward and towards the leopard's faces for the double-strike, and after she had straightened her arms, she opened her paws and tossed (though I also jumped to gain more speed) me to fly towards the leopard's masked faces.

"FEAR THE BUG!" I cried as I flew through the air.

And shortly after I jumped off from Tigress paws, I leaned my upper body backwards so that I was flying towards the leopard with my legs ahead.

And then, as I collided to the leopard's chest armor within the moments before the leopard's axes' blades hit on Tigress, I began to deliver the series of kicks in rapid succession to the leopard's armored chest, causing the leopard to drop his axes in the near end of their swings and back off for a twelve steps, before I finished him off by barrel roll in the air and performed the devastating double-kick into the leopard's faces, that was strong enough to send the leopard fly in the arch through the air and smash his back ahead roughly against the wall of the Hall...

...and he finally fell on his butt to the ground, with me victoriously standing on his _nice hat_.

"Bug, one. Leopard, zero!" I cheered.

CRANE'S BOW

I witnessed from above in the air space of the Hall Tigress' progress, as she took out and down the leopards one by one with the help of Monkey, Viper and Mantis and with our teamwork... as she was heading straight towards the gates of the Jade Palace, where the Gorilla was standing with the band of the wolves.

And I also saw, that Tigress was about to get surrounded by three remaining leopards' Elite Warriors, the female with the nunchaku-swords, one of two on their feet remaining males with the twin-bladed glaive and the last one with the twin-bladed sword.

All three of them rushed towards Tigress and get ready to strike her with their weapons from each three corners.

"CRANE!" I heard Tigress calling me.

And because I had already witnessed that for what Tigress was probably heading after every leopard she faces and takes out with the help of the other members of the Furious Five, I guessed that Tigress wanted me to take out those leopards while she keeps going towards the Gorilla.

And so, I pressed my wings against my body and allowed myself to fall down from the air and towards Tigress and the trio of the leopards.

And once I was close enough to the ground, I spread my wings into the wide again and kept approaching Tigress and the leopard trio by floating with the full-pace just above of the Hall's jade floor.

And then, when I was about to fly through between of two leopards, as they were about to strike Tigress all together, Tigress bounced a bit up from the ground, giving to me the space to fly beneath of her...

...and then, I swung my wings hard down and I lunged upwards...

...that Tigress landed onto my bag, as I flew a bit higher above of the surprised leopards heads...

...and with the help of my support, Tigress eventually bounced off from my back and flew high into the air.

And as Tigress was about to fly over of the leopards' heads, she performed a couple-three somersaults the air before she started to fall back to the ground.

And after that, I allowed myself to land on my feet to the ground, in middle of the leopards.

And, as the leopards turned their attentions away from through of the air flying Tigress to me as I landed in middle of them, and before they managed to react in any way, I triggered my counter-attack upon them.

"WINGS OF JUSTICE!" I cried, as I started them whirl myself around in the air faster and faster to gain the high speed of the speed...

...and when I spread my wings, I sent the powerful gusts of wind to spread through of the air, that it took all three leopards with the wind, and the wind also sent them to fly all around of the Hall, two of them landing against the jade walls of the Hall and one landing against the pillar.

The powerful gust of wind reached to the wolves and the Gorilla standing inside of the gates of the Jade Palace and the wave of winds wiped out all wolves around of the gorilla and tossed them out of the Jade Palace to the stone porch.

TIGRESS' POV

While I passed the leopards one by one through of the Hall of the Warriors, paying not much attention to them (except that the one with the axes wasted my time a lot) and allowing my friends to deal with them for me...

...I have removed my burning anger filled eyes even for a moment from the Gorilla standing in front of the doors of the Jade Palace...

...while he held poor little Lei Lei as captive in his firm grip, and yet he with the sadistic grin moved his thump and forefinger closer of Lei Lei's head as an attempt to twists her neck so that it kills her with one snap.

And I was dealing with the three last of the leopards with Crane right then when the Gorilla had locked Lei Lei's head in between of his fingers, which just increased my super-sensitive anger... but also the fear that I might not reach to Lei Lei's help in time!

Luckily, the gust of wind that Crane created to blow off the remaining leopards, smashed against the Gorilla like the gigantic invisible kick or punch to his stomach, which made the gorilla to nearly fall backwards on his back to the ground, that the Gorilla was forced to use his both hands to maintain his balance...

...but he didn't loose his grip from around of Lei Lei, but instead he still kept his firm grip locked around of the little panda.

This gave me even more time to reach to them both!

So, I bounced down on my feet to gain more speed towards the unsteady and nothing suspecting Gorilla...

...until I had reached to right in front of him!

And once I had reached to the brute, while the Gorilla had focused only to maintain his balance and had not yet seen me incoming...

"GET... YOUR... DIRTY... HANDS... OFF... THAT... PANDA!" I aggressively and loudly roared at the Gorilla, as I focused all my strength into my feet as I prepared to once again perform my famous move on that Gorilla, my Tahlia Leap technique.

It was then when I put all into my feet gathered strength into action and bounced up and towards of the Gorilla's ugly faces, leaning my upper body backwards so that my legs moved ahead, after which I extended in the process my right leg forward, delivering the straight kick directly in middle of unsuspecting Gorilla's ugly faces, before I performed the backward somersault and swung my left leg in the arch upwards towards the gorilla, kicking him beneath of his chin.

Gorilla let out of his mouth the loud roar in pain, as my kick sent him fly out of the Jade Palace and roughly land on his stomach onto the band of wolves, crushing them in between of his massive weight and the stone porch!

And in the process, and outside of the Jade Palace, my move/attack forced Gorilla to release his firm grip from around of Lei Lei, though at the process Gorilla tossed little panda into the stormy sky, and that the toss was enough to send her flying into the air that she reached to the level with the top of the Jade Palace roof!

"STRIPEY BABY! HELP!" Lei Lei screamed for me with the nickname she usually calls me, as she was now freely falling downwards and towards the stone porch of the Jade Palace from the great height from the ground.

After I landed back on my feet to the ground, and not willing to allow Lei Lei to land roughly onto the porch - as the falling speed and the impact against the stone-hard porch would be enough to cause the dangerous internal injuries or even killing her...

...I quickly leaped on my fours and rushed with all speed I gained towards Lei Lei's possible landing spot...

...and by bouncing into the air and towards Lei Lei...

...I managed to grab her from the air into my arms just in time before she landed mortally against the stone porch!

And, with Lei Lei safe and in my arms, I kept flying through the air towards the Gorilla, as the brute was about to climb back on his feet, as there was another fresh and large pack of probably one thousands wolves charging towards the Jade Palace along the Stairs of Thousand Steps.

So I landed onto my free paw to the stone porch, leaned backwards and quickly bounced strongly from it towards the gorilla, as he had finally managed to get up.

...I collided with my feet ahead against his stomach and, just like Mantis did with the axe-wielding leopard, I launched with both of my legs the couple series of dozen quick kicks in rapid succession onto the gorilla's stomach.

The trick, which I had learned from my master long before Po came into picture, but despite my mastery over this technique, Shifu's own perform of this technique is much more quick and more smooth than what mine was. Even Po has tried to perform this technique many times over, and always ended up to fail it, despite him being the quick to learn and perform the new techniques of Kung Fu.

However, with my strength and my speed combined into my perform of this technique, I managed to force Gorilla to retreat step by step backwards and back up towards the top steps of the stairs.

And with that, with my very last kicks, I sent him off from the top steps and down to the stairs, where he rolled down from the tip to the bottom like a big hairy ball. And while rolling down along the stairs, Gorilla took almost all one thousand wolves, who were at that moment in the stairs, down with him, leaving several of them to lie on the stairs after they were squeezed against the stairs by down in the ball rolling gorilla's weight.

I landed then back on my feet to the ground, exhausted from performing that technique and completely wet from the pouring rain, but at least I was relieved that that brute was out of the game... and what important, little Lei Lei was in safe.

I then immediately turned to Lei Lei, as I held her in my arms.

"Lei Lei, are you okay?!" I asked, with my voice full of great concern if that Gorilla had managed to somehow hurt Lei Lei.

Lei Lei didn't answer, but instead leaned against me and wrapped her arms around of my neck as "a thank you."

"Stripey Baby." Lei Lei said giggling as she nuzzled her head against the under of my head.

I couldn't help but allow the smile of relief to come to my lips, and wrap my arms protectively and comfortingly around of Lei Lei, giving that little sweet panda the comforting and heartfelt hug... even under of cold pouring rain iof this storm.

And speaking of the storm...

I was then snapped out of our heartfelt embrace by the loud sound of the thunder in the heavens... and not the mention about the bright lightning bolt, that struck quick but violently hard against the rocks behind of the Jade Palace's stone porch's eastern corner, that snapped me out of it and frightened Lei Lei...

...that bolt sent some rocks to fly towards us, which prompted me to turn around to protect Lei Lei from the rocks, until I was knocked over to the ground and onto my left side to the ground by the shock wave from the lighting bolt's strike.

Landing was quite rough, that I lost my grip from Lei Lei, who flew to beyond of my reach aside, but close to the open gates of the Jade Palace.

And it was not all.

Landing on my wounded left side to the water-filled porch caused me to grit my teeth and let out the slight roar out of pain, not only because of rough landing on my wounded and sore side to the ground, but also the rain water, which caused my wounds to sting a little bit.

Even though the pouring rain landed onto my wounds in my back, I probably had ignored them, thanks to Lei Lei.

However, ignoring the stinging pain in my wounds, I quickly get up on my feet, rushed towards the open gates of Jade Palace and quickly picked on my way Lei Lei into my arms from the ground.

"C'mon, Lei Lei! Let's go back to inside and away from this rain and storm." I said to Lei Lei, who once again snuggled in my arms and leaned against me, nuzzling my right shoulder with her head.

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**

 **I HOPE THAT YOU ENJOYED OF READING THIS CHAPTER.**


	31. 31: The villain reveals himself Part 1

**CHAPTER 31: THE VILLAIN REVEALS HIMSELF PART 1**

 **ENJOY THE READING.**

And once we were inside of the Jade Palace...

"CLOSE THE GATES! THAT SHOULD HOLD THEM OF FOR A WHILE!" I shouted to THE pandas, whom were at the very moment climbing back on their feet.

As I turned to look at the gates, which were still open, I saw from the corner of my right eye that Li Shan and Mr. Ping, whom had got up and back on their feet, were immediately and hurriedly heading to behind of one of the doors in the west side of the gate, and once there, they both started to push it forward...

...as well as in the another gate, recovered and on their feet climbed Dim and Sum, Mei Mei and Hugger Panda started to push together another door forward, while Grandma Panda took little Bao away from the gates and was heading with me and little Lei Lei away from the doors.

It didn't take long from them to get the gates finally closed...

...and once they were closed, a bit awkward-feeling silence fell upon the Hall of Warriors.

There was no the sounds of battle-cries or gasps out of pain , not the sounds of punching and kicking, not the sound of metal striking or rubbing sharply against the metal.

Once I turned to the rest of the Hall of the Warriors and Master Shifu, I saw all rest of the Furious Five, heavily panting out of exhaustion, bruised, scratched and battered but all of them still, just barely, alive.

Only Shifu seemed to be in the good shape and without of being physically bruised nor his robe being tattered.

They had all gathered around of Po, who lied in the ground on his back in the Jade floor.

I, along with to Po hurrying Po's fathers and the rest of the pandas, quickly hurried to them and to Po from the doors once they were closed.

"How's Po...?" I asked from Master Shifu, who had knelt down next to Po's head, with the concerned tone.

"Yeah! How's our son!" Mr. Ping asked next from him, with his voice full on concern and even hasty panic for Po's well-being and chances to survive from this.

"Please, don't tell us that he is in even more critical and life-threatening condition!" Li Shan pleaded, even though the sight of Po's badly wounded, broken and battered physical condition already told us that Po was already in critical and life-threatening condition.

"He's still struggling, barely but still... but I do not know how long he can take it before he gets to our village's doctor." Shifu answered, sadly and in the verge of desperation.

Once having the answers, though not the already concerned moods satisfying answers, I looked everywhere, searching for those eight leopards with my eyes, but I didn't saw anyone of them in the presence... as if they never even been here.

"Where did those leopards go?" I asked from each one of the rest of the Furious Five, because they were the last persons (including Shifu) who took them down when I was rescuing Lei Lei from the gorilla.

"Gone." Mantis, who was standing on Crane's hat, answered before anybody else from all four of them did.

"Vanished." Crane said next.

"Disappeared without the trace." Viper then said.

"Just when we were about to strike them... POOF! The Cloud of smoke surrounded them and they were all gone within seconds." Monkey added.

After hearing such of answers from my friends, I turned to look in the darkness and I let out the small but deep growl out of despise.

"Cowards!" I growled angrily.

However, Shifu openly disagreed with me.

"No... I'm afraid that they are either recovering or re-grouping in the shadows... or if worse, even waiting for the right moment to strike again once were off-guard!"

"But they disappeared under the cloud of smoke the very moment after Tigress and I took down the last ones of them at the gates. They should have any second now, while we are confused by that trick and looking around searching for them with our eyes, reappeared behind of our backs and stab us to our backs with their weapons." Crane said.

"Which is extremely dishonorable way to finish off the opponent, I'll say." Mantis said then.

It was then Viper's turn to speak, as she "held" comfortingly from Po's paw by coiling herself around of his paw and wrist.

"Crane is right... this round is taking this time oddly longer. Those three of them whom me, Monkey and Tigress beat together, they disappeared quickly in front of us and reappeared behind of us within seconds behind of our backs, nearly killing us but failed. Now it has been over ten minutes when they all last disappeared like the ashes in the air, right after Crane and Tigress took out the last ones of them at the gates before Tigress turned to that gorilla, who was about to kill Lei Lei... and yet they have not reappeared anywhere." Viper said.

"What's taking from them so long... or do you think that they just... went home or something?" Monkey asked nervously.

"I don't think so." Master Shifu answered darkly.

"Me neither! Once our Dragon Warrior out of their way and we heavily exhausted from the fights against the wolves, gorillas and now them, it is very unlikely that they just faded like smoke into the air. I think that they're waiting for something else... something far more worse to come!" I said darkly.

Until then, suddenly... like an answer to my guess... the silence and tense moment was broken.

Something hit unexpectedly against the gates of the Jade Palace with the brutal, heavy and hard force, which caused both the doors of the gates of Jade Palace to shatter into pieces, before we all were even prepared for it!

By our instincts, we all quickly bowed down, turned our backs to the direction of blast and lifted our arms before our faces to protect our faces (and the little ones from the pandas) from towards us with the full-pace flying (and probably deadly sharp) pieces of wood... albeit fortunately we were beyond of the pieces flying range.

However, I was able to get the glance of six - no, eight - with the high speed in the air flying balls, which were followed by the flames, sparks and smoke.

Two of them hit against the jade floor in next of us, sending the sparks in the air and nearly knocking all of us off our feet, and one of which bounced from the ground and flew towards the ceiling of the Hall while the another remained in the ground after creating the somewhat long groove into the jade floor.

Another two of them flew towards the eastern line of pillars... and one of them proceed by brutally snapping one of the jade pillars in half, while another one badly damaged the last pillar from its feet... and the pillar happened to be the same one, which was damaged from its link to the ceiling of the hall by from the jade floor upwards bounced ball.

Four others, one of which one of the pillars from the western line from the middle, taking the small piece from it, flew and hit against the library of one thousand scrolls in the another side of the Pool of Moon... destroying the shelf of scrolls from three spots and either destroyed or scattered the scrolls all around... except the last one, which smashed against the wall and pushed the hitting part of the wall inside.

And once that stopped, and as we all slowly and carefully get back up from the ground and turned back to the direction from where those balls had came from...

...we saw about twelve gigantic blue-gray-furred gorillas coming inside of the Hall through of the thick smoke around of the massive burning hole, where the doors of the Jade Palace were supposed to be a moment ago... but not anymore.

Each one of these gorillas were bearing the tattoo about the symbol of the blood-red Flaming Sun in their chests... and yet they were holding in their arms and even carrying in their backs some things, which resembles with their horned dragon-, crocodile-, peacock-, wolf-, and gorilla-heads Lord Shen's fire-breathing and metal-spitting weapons back in the Gongmen City.

And then, in front of the gorillas, who had formed two lines of six gorillas in the each side of the still smoking hole in the place of the doors, appeared the very same clouds of smoke and all the mysteriously disappeared leopards reappeared in two lines of four leopards... each one holding from their weapons in their paws... but their current stances were not the battle-ready stances, which told me that they weren't gonna attack us... at least not for now.

They all, gorillas with their fire-breathing and metal spitting weapons and the leopards of the White-Paw clan stood on the lines in there for a minute or couple, doing nothing to raise their weapons against us, like they were waiting for something.

And then...

...I heard, or probably we all did, the tips of the long blades sharply touching and scratching against the Hall's jade floor among of the smoke... and the very same sound repeated itself again and again among of the sounds of calm steps landing against the jade floor... as if somebody was entering inside of the Hall through of the smoke.

And then, when the shadowy figure started to make a shape in the verge of the smoke, the extremely bright lighting bolts stroke against the stormy sky and the bright lighting sent the shadow of the figure to fell against the jade floor, as he emerged out from the smoke, his shadow in the lighting threateningly fell upon of us.

And as the smoke completely faded away, the figure that walked among of the smoke was revealed to be the white peacock in the white robe.

"Oh, no... how on earth I correctly guessed this?" I asked from myself with the low-voice, as I stared at the peacock...

...and that peacock wasn't any peacock... not with those too familiar looking blood-red eyes with that ice-cold and vicious look and glow in them, which he had targeted at all of us as he kept slowly but threateningly approaching us step by step and with the vicious grin in his beak...

...and he was followed by recovered and into the fight re-joined Heilang and about dozen of wolf soldiers... each one of them carrying the banner, into which had been described the notorious symbol of the Blood-Red Flaming Sun!

"It can't be!" I heard Viper's horrified voice whispering behind of me, as he saw the very same thing as I did.

"Oh! But it is! It's really him! He's alive and back... just like Po said!" I heard Monkey saying this with the hasty voice.

"Impossible!" I heard master Shifu saying this with the sight disbelieving and yet horrified voice

We all kept looking at against the vicious and bright lighting bolt's light into the Hall menacingly walking twisted peacock with into our hearts striken horror, which left all of us speechless and our eyes widened out of shock and horror.

We all kept looking at against the vicious and bright lighting bolt's light into the Hall menacingly walking twisted peacock with into our hearts striken horror, which left all of us speechless and our eyes widened out of shock and horror.

Even I was struck with the horror as I saw our old blood-enemy in front of all of us, that it got me to fall back for a few steps... and his presence scared little Lei Lei so much that she snuggled harder against me out of fear and for protection.

And the pandas, quickly recognizing this twisted peacock as one they had saw once once in the past and remembering the horrible things the peacock had done to them, hurriedly and in horror retreated behind of our backs for protection.

And as I kept staring at that twisted peacock's blood-red vicious eyes, I could sense that that monster's was through of his sadistic pleasure enjoying of seeing the shock and fear in our eyes...

...and he was like feeding up his taunting smirk on his beak with mine, the Furious Five's and Shifu's shock of seeing him alive and well...

...but he was enjoying even more of feeding up his murderous and bloodthirsty pleasures with the pandas fear of death, which was clearly seen in them, as the pandas were at the very moment extremely (even through of their own traumas of Shen's unspeakable actions against them) distressed and trembling out of fear.

But his sadistic thirst for the pandas fear of death may not yet be nothing compared to what kind of unspeakable torture he had probably planned for them... as well as for Po... as a sport for himself and to finally satisfy his hatred towards the species of pandas and his bloodthirsty desire to exterminate all of them from the face of the China. If he even was planning of taking the pandas as his prisoners for sport instead of killing all of them right now.

And as for the rest of us, this twisted peacock probably saw no any interest or benefit from taking me, rest of the Furious Five and master Shifu as prisoners as well, except as a mere cannon fodder.

Well, whatever it is what he had planned for the pandas, one thing was sure...

He'll never can have Po and the rest of the pandas as long as I'm alive and standing between of him and the pandas.

 **TO BE CONTINUED...  
**

 **Yeah, Lord Shen made his second appearance (aside of the flashback-scene) in my story nearly in the end of the chapter, and in the next chapter.**

 **I hope that all of you, who reads this story, enjoyed this chapter...**

 **'Til the next time.**


	32. 32: The villain reveals himself Part 2

**CHAPTER 32:** ** **THE VILLAIN REVEALS HIMSELF PART 2  
****

 **ENJOY THE READING!**

TIGRESS POV

Lord Shen had arrived to the Valley of Peace and to the Jade Palace!

VERY ALIVE!

As an uninvited and totally non-welcomed guest!

How did he survive from the last encounter with Po, that led to his apparent death from his own weapon, that doesn't mater anymore.

He is here, in front of our doors, in front of us, with his reformed army at the full strength standing behind of him and waiting outside of the Jade Palace.

And there he was... calmly yet boastfully walking straight towards us... befouling the Jade Palace's air space with his dishonorable appearance.

"Good evening, gentlemen. Please accept my apologies for my escorts brash way to knock politely to your door before entering. At least I'm the only one here who has even something manners after all." Shen said in the mockingly polite tone, as he referred the Jade Palace's doors.

"Beautiful night outside, isn't it? Yeeeeeeeees. Beautiful night indeed. At first, My apologies visiting in this magnificent palace at this time of the night and yet even without invitation, but I couldn't resist of paying a visit to see my old friends again." Shen mockingly added, referring of course Po, me and the rest of the Five.

Shen then lifted his left wing up and mockingly waved to us with it as an greetings.

"Greetings, my old friends. Long time no see... since our last meet back in the Gongmen City's harbor. How have you been?" He mockingly added.

His boastful lording attitude, after what he had done to Po and after launching this attack upon us, really infuriated me!

"We are not your friends... AND YOU'RE NOT WELCOMED HERE!" I aggressively growled at Lord Shen, who did not seem to bother about what did I just said.

"OH, HOW RUDE... words from the Little Kitty... and is your such of hospitality like that towards your tonight's guest what I get from you after having traveled through a long way across the entire China always from the eastern coasts a until here... just to see you once again." Shen added, as he came even closer.

However, I sensed that Lord Shen seemed to be a quite surprised that he saw in front of him even more than just one panda still alive from the massacre he ordered upon the entire panda species so many years ago.

"And what do we have here? A pandas... the handful of disgustingly adorable, pathetically weakling, in unspeakable way chubby and by their species stinky, filthy accursed pandas." He said with the whispering like tones and with the vicious expression on his face...

...even though I could see that that tone of voice, calm attitude and the expression on his face were just a mere fakes.

He was looking at the pandas either standing with us - or hiding behind of our backs - with the big surprise and extreme shock on his faces, because he was badly surprised to see even more pandas still alive than just Po, after living for two decades in the firm belief that he had managed to massacre all pandas from all around, from every corner, and from the entire face of China, nearly sending the whole species of panda into near-extinction, to avoid his foretold fate in the paws of "Warrior of the Black and White"... and yet he was surprised to see even more pandas alive, though we just had here with us Li Shan, Dim and Sum, little Lei Lei, Mei Mei, little Bao, Grandma Panda and Hugger Panda in addition of Po.

And I could hear him saying otherwise with the more shocked and disgusted tone of voice that...

 _Pandas? PANDAS?! Handful of stinky, filthy, disgusting, unspeakable, accursed pandas?! Pandas?! Bu-bu-bu- THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE! HOW? HO-HOW?! HOW THERE CAN BE EVEN MORE PANDAS... ALIVE?! EVEN AFTER I EXTERMINATED EVERY LAST ONE OF THEIR PATHETICALLY WEAK, FILTHY, DISGUSTING AND STINKY SPECIES BY MYSELF! The Pandas should be all at the moment destroyed! Eliminated! Annihilated! Wiped out! Extinguished! and if there's even more of those stinky pandas than these handful ones, THEN MY WORK CAN'T BE FULFILLED TONIGHT AT ALL! BLAST IT!_

...which kind of revealed to me the very clear reason why there had been recently this non-hostile wolf-activity - which was all of doing of the Lord Shen's impossible return after near-experienced death with no way to escape - against the village except within the bamboo woods all around of the Valley of Peace.

The wolves had been occupied the bamboo forests all around of the Valley of Peace and around of the village in the search of one certain panda known to be residing in these lands.

They were in the searching for - or more likely hunting down - Po under of Lord Shen's orders...

...and probably the entire recent wolf-activity without any hostility action against the villagers and farmers of the Valley of Peace was meant to send Po into suspiciousness and through of it into curiousness. Simply to said, it was a mere bait for luring Po out to be then ambushed...

...so that twisted peacock could finally to fulfil his task to exterminate the species of pandas to the extinction... after which he was probably planning to re-launch a new bloody conquest upon the China, to bring the entire China on its knees before him and under of the domination of the blood-red Flaming Sun Symbol.

But because they were only looking for Po instead of the secret panda village, that was full of from Shen's massive panda extermination survived pandas and which was located to the northern parts of the china and safely far away from here and beyond of Lord Shen's reach, and probably even beyond of his own knowledge...

...which told me that this twisted peacock is totally unaware about the secret of the location of the panda survivors hidden village. And good so, because as long as he remained unaware about from his massacre survived pandas and the secret location of their village, they will remain safe from Shen's wrath.

And as for us, Lord Shen probably holds the deep grudges against me, the rest of the Furious Five and Master Shifu - as well as against our precious Kung Fu - for us effectively interfering his plans of conquest of China and bring it on its knees under of his symbol.

And the clear reason that why he returned Po to us, albeit broken, battered and severely wounded rather than instantly killed, he probably wanted to either discourage us and break our warrior spirits with the defeated Dragon Warrior, though I don't know that does he even know about Po's title...

... but so help me, if that peacock even dares to claim Po's merciless defeat as his own "personal and honorable" victory, I'm really gonna break his neck with my own paws and claws! Because knowing too well his dishonorable ways - as he defeated Thundering Rhino unfairly by using his cannon against him - Lord Shen must have been allowed his troops to worn Po out, and even beat him into this condition, before he himself faced him and put him even badder condition!

Or else, Lord Shen wants then do the very same thing to us as well...

...as were all nearly worn out by the endless fighting with the overwhelming number of wolves and gorillas, and now he has come to us to finish us off by himself!

Even though most of the pandas with us have withdrawn behind of the rest of the Furious Five for protection against Lord Shen...

...only one panda who held his ground was Li Shan.

Po's panda father remained to stood still in his place, boldly and protectively in Po's side, with the expression of anger, instead of shock and fear, as he recognized the incoming vicious peacock and took the death-glare on his faces!

Li Shan's boldness, even though I sensed a bit of fear within him nonetheless in front of this insane vicious and bloodthirsty peacock, prompted my own instincts and my unbreakable warrior spirit to command me to muster all my courage and make my stand alongside him...

...because there was no way I was gonna allow this twisted monster to do anything bad, horrible and something unspeakable to Lei Lei nor anyone else of these pandas... And I wouldn't definitely allow him to do anything to Po, as he had already done such of horrible things to him and to the pandas in the past that had left all of them traumatically and emotionally scarred...

...so I briefly turned towards the pandas and I gave Lei Lei into Grandma Panda's arms, so that the little one could be safe with Grandma Panda and that I may have my paws free for the incoming round against these uninvited, unwelcome and to the Jade Palace unwanted invaders, especially this white monstrous peacock...

...if I wanted to protect Lei Lei and rest of the pandas from this twisted mass-murderer with my own body and life!

"And, if you'll excuse me, but will you'll politely stand aside, so that I'll have my a short-lasting chit-chat with all of those pandas... and then I'll leave you be." Shen added and pretended to give us politely the way to the doorway of the Jade palace, towards of which he referred with his left wing.

In his mind, the chit-chat meant definitely nothing else but "slaughtering the pandas and taking their heads as his trophies."

NOT GONNA HAPPEN!

It was then, when Master Shifu stood up in forth to face Lord Shen with the words.

"And with what right such of a dishonorable creature, that has already fouled his wings with the blood of the innocents, like you dares to step on foot to these grounds, Lord Shen? With what right you dare to befoul the honorable air space of the Jade Palace and the birth-place of Kung Fu with your unwelcome presence? With what right you dare to damage the property of the Master Oogway with your dishonorable weapons? And with what right you dare to present us your demands in my lands? In the name of Master Oogway and Kung Fu, I demand you to leave from these lands immediately and never come back! LEAVE NOW, before we'll throw you and your hordes out of here personally." Master Shifu sternly demanded.

However, Lord Shen nothing else but laughed at this mockingly.

"AH HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HAA! Your lands? Did you just call this pathetic corner-district of my soon-to-be Empire as your lands?! I'll think that I own these lands from now on, after I finally defeated their primary protector... that accursed little, fatty, stinky panda you favor and glorify so much... in the fair and honorable single combat!" Lord Shen boastfully claimed.

HERE IT CAME! HE DARED TO CLAIM PO'S DEFEAT AS HIS OWN VICTORY... YET EVEN FAIR AND HONORABLE! I raged within myself

Hearing that caused me to growl even more aggressively, that I extended my claws and bared my teeth at that boastful peacock!

"And now... as a new lord of these lands... I demand all of you to step aside from my way, so that I can finish of removing this itching thorn from my side, that has been annoyed me long enough! I will not ask this for the third time!" Lord Shen demanded us yet again.

And, yet again, he meant with this "thorn in his side" Po and the rest of the pandas.

THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN NEITHER, I'LL SAY!

I rather die fighting than step aside and allow him to do his horrible plans for the pandas!

I immediately took my tiger-style's battle-ready stance... with my katana's following my paws movements as I straighten my left arm forward and bent my right arm backwards behind of my head - along of which I did the same thing with my legs - and I moved my paws into the positions that my katanas were aiming at that peacock!

"You can remove your thorn from your side... only over of my dead body." I said back to unspeakable peacock!

And soon, the rest of the Furious Five joined to me.

Crane stood to my right side, spreading his wings - and his wings blades - as he took in the crane-style the similar battle-ready stance just like me.

Monkey, as he made his way to my left side, spinning his staff rapidly in his hands, as he alternately moved his hands from side to side, still spinning his staff but keeping his eyes locked at the peacock the whole time, before he bent his right leg and leaned onto it, straightening at the same time his left leg to the left, while he pulled his Bo-staff through of under of his right armpit to behind of his back, and remained to stand in this battle-ready stance.

Mantis jumped onto Monkey's left shoulder and took there his own mantis-style's battle stance...

...and Viper slithered to Monkey's left side and lifted most of herself up, tightening the firm grip of her tail around of the ring-handle of her own weapon.

We all formed the defensive line behind of Master Shifu and our panda friends... ready to prevent him from reaching to the pandas.

Until, to our greater surprise...

"I think you need a some hand in this one." I suddenly heard Li Shan saying...

...as Po's panda father appeared in between of me and Monkey - a bit forcing us to stand down from our battle-ready stances and move out of his way - and that he was holding tightly his from the thick bamboo made Bo-staff in his paws and taking the simply battle-ready stance against Lord Shen.

"What do you think you're doing?!" I heard Mantis asking with the firm tone as he was balancing on Monkey's shoulder...

...after the latter had upon Li Shan's sudden arrival to their side moved a bit to the left to get out of his way, which had a bit surprised for the upcoming round firmly focused Mantis and nearly caused him to fall off from Monkey's shoulder... until he had managed to maintain his balance on Monkey's shoulder, before he had realized the reason that why Monkey had moved.

Master Shifu turned around to see that what was going on, and his eyes widened in surprise that Li Shan had joined us and prepared to the next upcoming round against Shen.

"Mr. Shan! Don't be crazy! Get back behind of us!" Master Shifu ordered firmly.

However, Li Shan remained among of us.

"My apologies, Master Shifu, but I have some unfinished business to finish off with that White Bringer of Death, the personal business! That's why my place is with you guys against him, no when Po is unable to do it right now." Li Shan said with the determined tone, as he kept his death-glare locked at Lord Shen.

Without guessing and asking that what it was... I already knew that what kind of business Li Shan meant...

" _Personal payback for the massacre upon his people over two decades ago... including the slaughter of his wife!_ "

And not just Li Shan joined to our side...

...but so did Mei Mei, who appeared to next of Crane with her nunchucks, and Po's cousins Dim and Sum, who stood up with their own nunchucks and Bo-staff to Viper's left side... all four ready for a new round against Lord Shen.

There was only two opinions to this...

...the pandas, within whom I still sensed the touch of fear that Lord Shen fed to them with his personal presence, may have been touched by Li Shan's bold stand against Shen for the personal reasons, which had also affected to them and encouraged them to muster all their courage they had to take their weapons and make their stand with us against the destroyer of most of their kind...

...or then the pandas have had enough of running and hiding from danger and being afraid of being mercilessly and endlessly hunted down and get exterminated by the panda-haters, as they were when Kai attacked to their village in the mountains.

But now both of their courage and their skills, taught them by Po, were put into the great test...

...and so, though we didn't know that how long these pandas would last against their sworn enemy himself and his pure evil, as they weren't yet in the same level with Po's skills, we were left with no choice but to accepted their help.

Even though the pandas stand against him seemed to surprise Lord Shen, as if he had expected them to be trembling in a traumatic fear of seeing him again and for the last time before he'll slaughter them.

However, he quickly hided his from the pandas bold stand surprised expression with the falsely from their stand unimpressed expression on his faces and maintained his calm and boastful attitude.

"How impressively brave act from the cowardly pandas. Foolish maybe, but I'm still impressive... of seeing the pathetic pandas boldly stand against me, instead of seeing them cowardly running, pathetically begging for mercy, crying in fear and despair or screaming in panic "Run, run, run, run for your lives before Lord Shen" when the hunting of Pandas began."

"But no matter. They will soon realize that their stand against me with the fool's hope will be nothing more but vain..." Lord Shen said with the mocking tone, before the tone of voice hardened and turned from the calm into dead serious and murderous!

"...because no one, no filthy panda nor pathetic Kung Fu warrior, opposes the Lord Shen and live!" He snarled to us.

"Your precious Kung Fu, along with the entire existence of the filthy and pathetic species of pandas, have nearly taken my future and my ultimate destiny of the full domination over the entire China from me in our last encounter... but tonight, I shall have my revenge for you disturbingly delaying my plans of Conquest of China and nearly killing me!" Lord Shen angrily boasted to us, with his tone of voice full of sheer desire for revenge.

"But tonight, I've hit to the jackpot... because not only having my revenge for our last encounter, but tonight I've also gained a chance to finish off what I started to many years ago... the extermination of the pandas! I shall take one of the pandas as my prisoner and make him to either tell me or lead me and my army to the other hideout of the pandas wherever it is... with one way or another!" Lord Shen sadistically added as he eyed the pandas whom were standing with us.

And then, he turned to the rest of us.

"And the rest of you, pandas alike... it is time for you to say farewell to each other, while you still can." Lord Shen said darkly to all of us.

If he intended to scare us with his threats, he's so wrong!

We are not going to move from our ground... in sake of Po and the rest of the pandas!

And that what Shen meant about the prisoner, it can't be Po because it was with 100% sure that Shen wanted Po dead more than anything else...

...and me, Shifu and the rest of the Five, Lord Shen most presumably wanted all of us as dead as revenge for foiling his plans of Conquest of China from our last encounter in Gongmen City's harbor, that's a sure thing...

... and he'll not presumably spare the life of anyone else of the pandas standing with us against him...

...save for Li Shan, presumably, because Li Shan was the chieftain of the pandas secret hideout village in the mountains - as he was the chieftain in the pandas old village in the bamboo woods near of Gongmen, before it got invaded and burned down by Shen's invaders - and probably because Shen knows Li Shan's title of the chieftain from their first encounter in the old panda village during of his invasion...

...Lord Shen probably intended to capture Li Shan to force him, by breaking him to make him to watch Po being tortured to the verge of death probably, to lead his army to the pandas secret hideout in the northern mountains.

I'm pretty sure that Li Shan has realized his plans as well, and swore silently to himself that he'll rather die in the wings of this wicked peacock before Po... and that if he does, the secret of the location of the panda hideout will die with him, and prevent Shen from even locating and finding his village.

It was then, when we were snapped out of our thoughts by Dim and Sum.

"Oh, yeah, you Mr. boastful Chicken?! Well, I'll say that in the name of all the pandas you've slaughtered, you're the one who should be saying... uh... farewell... to... uh... ehh... TO YOURSELF!" Dim boasted with the dramatic tone of voice, while aiming his nunchucks at Lord Shen.

We all then turned out heads towards Dim, a bit embarrassed for Dim's a quite boastful words...

...that caused Dim to laugh a bit nervously after noticing everyone of us being staring at him.

Dim, certainly was like his cousin Po, because sometimes Po really knows how to get us all embarrassed for him with his natural clumsiness and sometimes immature attitude, with his propensity to get himself into embarrassing situations and his sometimes overly boastful words in front of the enemy...

...though he sometimes does so either unintentionally or with the haste, just as when he hid into that dragon-costume to get out of the eye-sight of the wolves in the streets of Gongmen City and move undetected on the streets when we attempted to sneak into Lord Shen's palace, which he himself even claimed not to be his "strongest modes" of what he calls panda-styled stealth mode...

...and sometimes he does so intentionally with the ulterior motive, without we even knowing about it ourselves, just as in front of Lord Shen and his weapon, when he used his embarrassing-looking immature attitude to get Shen off guard.

And though the ways how his plans goes are sometimes awkward and embarrassing, I really appreciate that they're directed by Po's serious attitude towards certain situations.

However, the same did not went quite successfully from Dim.

"Oh, yeah, brother. That really got them scared. It really did." Sum said sarcastically to his twin-brother, as he a bit humorously tapped with his Bo-staff's another end against his a slightly dimwitted brother's stomach.

Dim then turned to his brother and the others in his right side.

"Hey, I'm under a lot of pressure here at the moment. I was just trying to calm my pressures by boasting it out, to make myself relaxes, or cooler, or something like that." Dim said in his defense.

It was then when three long feather-shaped and silver-gray blades immediately and unexpectedly struck and partially sunk with the high-pace into the jade floor just a couple inches away from Dim's feet, sending sparks to fly off from the spot of impact between the blades and jade floor, startling Po's cousin very badly that...

"WHOA!" Dim screamed and out of instincts, the panda jumped in arch backwards.

"SILENCE, FOOLS!" Lord Shen bellowed with the furious, poisonous and murderous tone, spreading his wings to wide and revealed from inside of both of his white silk robe's sleeves six long and straight but flame-like serpentine-shaped silver-gray sword-blades, that were in Japanese War Fan-like formation and glowed the deadly white in the flash of the another bright lightning bolt, startling both Po's cousins and the rest of pandas and nearly making all of them to fall back behind of Monkey, Mantis and Viper for protection.

This was then the moment when I stepped forward, until to the next of Master Shifu, to face Lord Shen by words.

"You claim yourself having defeated Po in the fair and honorable single combat. WELL, was it the fair and honorable single combat when you killed Thundering Rhino with one blast of your dishonorable fire-breathing and metal-spitting weapon?! Knowing you, you most presumably used your own troops to wear Po physically out and then you attacked him dishonorably when he was already beaten, heavily battle worn and unable to fight you back! That is in our eyes the act of dishonorable coward like you are!" I said firmly to the evil peacock.

"And just like with Po out there in the bamboo woods, Lord Shen, this attack you launched upon us and this whole place is nothing more but a cowardly gambit! Staying cowardly out most of the fight and revealing yourself to us and challenging us to the combat after we're all already physically worn down by the superior sheer numbers of your troops! It is not the way of a TRUE Kung Fu Warrior!" Master Shifu angrily declared to Lord Shen.

Lord Shen's only reaction to this was narrowing his eyes as he glared with the venomous glare at me and Shifu.

"This, what you fools call an attack, is more likely the personal returning the favor to you, all of you, especially to the entire accursed species of the pandas, for nearly taking my future from me with your mere existence... but no more!"

"And what becomes to the honor... I care less about the honor... and I rather to see all of you lying dead on my feet, dead, mutilated, butchered, slaughtered, beheaded, throats slit, gutted, I don't care with what way to kill you... but I'll kill you anyway!" He snarled at us.

Well, here it came... the truth behind of this dishonorable peacock's false claim about the honest and honorable victory over Po... though it was admitted with the reluctant tone of voice, which was the sight that Shen was about to have enough of us.

"And now... ENOUGH OF THIS TIME-WASTING CHIT-CHAT! IT'S FINALLY TIME FOR YOU FOOLS TO _DIE_!" He bellowed as he swung both of his wings and his into the War Fan-like formations positioned blades alternately from side to side and back, touching with his blades tips against the jade floor of the Hall, creating four-five narrow and smooth grooves to the floor with both of his wings and sending the spark to fly into the air from the his blades tips' impacts against the floor...

...ready to fight us with them.

"Come and fight, AND DIE, like the warriors... or don't fight and die like a cowardly pigs to be butchered!" He snarled.

Well, battle worn and heavily outnumbered or not, his challenge is accepted!

I stepped then forward, with my katanas ready.

"Guys! I'll say that we'll finish off what was left to unfinished back in the harbor of the Gongmen City a few years back, by shredding this monster out of his feathers one and for all or die trying... and we'll do it FOR PO!" I declared to the pandas and the Furious Five.

"WHO'S WITH ME?" I called out for the volunteers.

"I'M WITH YOU TIGRESS! FOR MY WIFE'S MEMORY AND MY SON SAFETY!" Li Shan, holding firmly his bamboo staff in his arms, volunteered at first.

"I'M WITH YOU, DEAR!" Viper volunteered secondly.

"COUNT ME IN!" Crane said as a third one who volunteered, spreading his wings and his feather blades one again.

"ME TOO!" Mantis volunteered from Monkey's Shoulder, rubbing his claws together.

"COUNT NUNCHUCK-CHICKEN IN!" Mei Mei volunteered then, spinning rapidly her nunchucks in her paws and around and over of her body.

"'TILL THE END!" Monkey volunteered then after Mei Mei, spinning skillfully his Bo-Staff in his hands, before he swiftly changed it back into three-section-staff and swung with his left hand his weapon's another end in arch over of his left shoulder and behind of his head, before he grabbed with his right arm from his three-section-staff's another end as it swung over of his right shoulder.

"FOR COUSIN PO, TO THE VERY END!" Sum declared, as he spun his Bo-staff in his arms while moving his arms from side to another, before he then lifted his arms and his still in his paws spinning Bo-staff above of his head, until he pulled his arms down, taking a firm grip from his staff after he stopped spinning it and aiming with one of its heads towards Shen

And the finally, was Dim, who walked for a couple towards our deadly opponents while swirling his own nunchucks loose ends in his paws.

"Well... yeah, okay. Let's then do this for cousin Po... 'Till the end then, which hopefully isn't gonna be anytime soon... right?" Dim asked from us, with a bit hesitant attitude and about the afterwards of this battle concerned tone, as he swung his nunchucks loose ends beneath of his armpits.

And with that - letting out into the air our battle-cries in unison - WE ATTACKED!

 **TO BE CONTINUED...  
**

 **I HOPE THAT ALL OF YOU, WHO READS THIS STORY, ENJOYED THIS CHAPTER...  
**

 **'TILL THE NEXT TIME, WHEN THERE IS MORE FIGHTING AND LESS CHIT-CHAT WHEN MASTER SHIFU, TIGRESS AND FURIOUS FIVE, LI SHAN AND THE PANDAS FACE TOGETHER LORD SHEN IN THE BRUTAL COMBAT.**


	33. 33: Tigress VS Lord Shen

**CHAPTER 33:** ** **TIGRESS VS. LORD SHEN  
****

 **HELLO, ONCE AGAIN! It is finally time to continue from where we were left last time. I'm sorry people that I haven't updated my LORD SHEN STRIKES BACK lately since last chapter (from which has been seven months). I lost my old computer to the several problems and because of which I was forced to buy a new one. My new computer has lately helped me to find the errors in my story's text, so I decided to reboot my entire text by going through my story, separate some parts of my story from the very first chapters into their own chapters and correct - and slightly change - the text.  
**

 **That's why there's now more chapters than there was the last time when I updated my story... in the last December.**

 **Be prepare, The Furious Five are going to fight against LORD SHEN in this chapter!**

 **ENJOY THE READING!**

* * *

 _"I'll say that we'll finish off what was left to unfinished back in the harbor of the Gongmen City a few years back, by shredding this monster out of his feathers one and for all or die trying... and we'll do it FOR PO!"_ I heard my own rally-cry ringing strongly and deeply echoing in my head as I started my attack against our recently returned the most hated enemy, Lord Shen, as that villainous and unspeakable peacock was standing with him army of minions right in front of all of us in the door-side of the Hall of Heroes.

Filled with the feral-like fury for what this villainous peacock had done to Po, I released a loud roar out of pure rage out from my mouth to the air space of the Hall of Heroes, as I jumped off my feet forwards and landed onto all my fours to the jade floor and I kept charging towards Shen with a doubled running speed of my fours.

And during of my charge, I locked my with burning rage-filled eyes with Lord's Shen's own evil blood-red eyes, and my fury grew even greater as he narrowed his eyes and his disturbingly and disgustingly evil grin on his beak just widened, as he started to walk calmly step by step towards me, that the iron claws in his talons let out the chills giving scratching sounds from the impact against the jade floor of the Hall.

And as I attacked towards Lord Shen, Heilang and his wolf bandits were about to crab to their long swords and chain-hammers and pass their vicious master to engage me to the close combat in order to protect the vicious peacock. And so did Shen's mysterious leopard warrior-minions, as they too lifted their own more deadlier weapons up and prepared themselves to attack me along with Heilang's wolves, until Lord Shen lifted up his left wing - and the blades along with it - and moved it towards him and his wolves as an sign/order to halt their attack.

"Back! I'll handle this myself." Lord Shen said with the evil grin on his beak.

Well, he's welcome to come and try.

However, before I could even reach to him, Shen suddenly took his blades off from the War Fan-like formation and pulled the blades together and back into his sleeves, before he calmly placed his wings together in front of himself that the skirts of his sleeves touched each others and closed the wings inside of them, and Shen himself calmly stood up and remained still.

But what greatly disturbed me was that that villainous peacock seemed to just stand there and he did nothing else, not even preparing to defend himself against my incoming attack, but merely remained suspiciously yet disturbingly silent, calm and nearly even motionless like some kind of lifeless stone statue, save for his legs in the movement beneath of him.

He was like refusing to do anything, even though I was coming for him to **KILL HIM**!

His calm attitude towards my nearly feral-like attack was like "Go ahead" or "Be my guess" style, like he was allowing me freely to do anything what I wanted to do to him without even fighting back and preventing me from doing it.

Well, his wish will be granted!

And as I realized this - but I still kept my senses on guard in case of some backstabbing trick from Shen - I increased my running speed of all my fours to the full level in order to get my claws on Lord Shen sooner as possible and before anybody else of the rest of the Furious Five and the pandas, who followed right behind of me, could reach him before me, for my own personal reasons

It was time for me to perform my attack on him.

However, before I could reach close to him enough to attack, slowly and calmly that villainous peacock turned slightly turned to his left, until he suddenly spun himself around to his right and swung his left wing laterally towards my direction. And as he did so, Shen actually at the same time both exposed and tossed from under of his left wing's sleeve a small yet deadly volley of six of his long, double-edged and feather-shaped feather-blades, which silver-white and sharp-edged and -pointed blades glowed in the flash of the bright lightning as they flew towards me, spinning either in the vertical or lateral positions like the throwing-stars as they flew to my direction.

Shen's blades flew a quite low level in the air. He had probably aimed them towards my legs to cripple me.

However, before his blades could reach to my legs, I gathered as much physical power to my limbs as I could spare and, letting out another loud roar out of pure rage out from my mouth to the air space of the Hall of Heroes, I bounced with all my fours off from the jade floor into the strong and high leap as Shen's blades struck alternately to the spot from which I just bounced up, sinking to the jade floor and sending some sparks to fly from the impacts.

And as my roar echoed in the air space of the Hall of Heroes, I flew in the arch across of the the air space of the Hall, during of which I saw that Lord Shen, not looking enraged of the failure of his first attack with his throwing blades, pulling both of his wings hard downward and exposing from under of both of his sleeves at least two dozen more of his blades in the War Fan-resembling formation. And after exposing them, Shen pulled his wings hard in the arching swings and laterally upwards and tossed his blades up into the air in the formation of much larger and more dense volley of in vertical or lateral positions spinning blades, directed straight towards me in attempt to kill me from the air.

Incoming volleys of Shen's feather-blades, that were coming towards me with the power and speed of into the flight from the bow's string released/fired arrow, forced me to grab to my katanas and pull them out from their sheaths, to where I had placed them before my attack, which I quickly pulled in front of me and started to spin them with the rapid speed in my paws. And using rapidly spinning blades of my katanas in front of me as my shield against Shen's blades, I managed to knock most of Shen's feather-blades out of their flight when they were about to hit me, though some of them made it through and made the small cuts into my shoulders, arms and both sides of his exposed and already from the previous fights scarred body, causing me to slightly grit my teeth in pain.

And once I had passed all Shen's volley of feather-blades with a minor cuts, I performed a couple somersaults in the air, and as I was going to fall back towards the jade floor of the Hall, I lifted my katanas over my head, preparing myself to land both of their long and sharp-edged blades onto Lord Shen with the one doubled fatal strike!

And when I was about to land on my feet to the ground, right in front of Lord Shen with the perfect position and distance between of us for my attack, I moved both of my paws wrapped around the handles of my katanas to the left, and their long blades followed my paws movements to the left and moved a bit to the right, above of my head's right side's ear. And I also straightened my legs downwards, though I lifted only my into the sharp angular position bent left leg both up and forward.

And as I landed on my right leg to the group, I put my attack into action.

Once on my feet in the ground, I immediately allowed myself to lean/fall forward onto my left leg, which I bent again forwards as I myself leaned onto it, and during of my footwork, I pulled both of my arms and katanas off from above of my head to the left side of my head, before I swung them with all my physical strength and my animal speed from my left side in the a steep lateral swing to the right and downwards, and on their way right towards Lord Shen's neck to remove his head from his shoulders, killing him once and for all.

However, as my Katana's blades were about to cut this accursed peacock's neck from two spots, that vicious peacock then suddenly and completely unexpectedly to me bounced upwards into the air as fast as a lightning out of the way of my katana's blades, as their sharp edges were only inch away from his neck, in my eyes impossibly narrowly avoiding them before they even touched his neck, and I ended up to swing with my katanas against the empty air.

"WHA...?!" I exclaimed loudly out of surprise, as Lord Shen's sudden and extremely swift dodge narrowly out of the way of my katanas' blades on the moment of killing strike left me greatly stunned.

However, soon after my first attempt to behead him failed and using my stunned state as his advance, Shen immediately performed the barrel roll in the air, spinning himself around to his right yet again and tossed from under of his right wing's sleeve a new volley of his blades towards me, prompting me to jump upwards and forwards into the air with my left leg in order to avoid towards me incoming and in vertical or lateral positions spinning blades before they struck fatally on me.

However, I wasn't gonna allow my failed double-strike and couple of Shen's sudden and swift tricks to disturb my concentration.

And at the same time as I bounced off from the ground into the air to avoid Shen's tossed feather-blades and prevent them from hitting my legs, I had directed my strong bounce in the arch forward and towards the spot to where I assumed that twisted peacock to land back on his feet. And in the middle phase of my arching flight through the air, when Shen had already landed back on his feet to the ground, I eventually performed the barrel roll by spinning myself hard and fast to my right, during of which I quickly lifted up and straightened my right leg, which I swung around of myself before I pulled it fast and hard towards Lord Shen's faces to deliver my stone-hard kick to his faces.

However, Shen dodged my attack once again with the smooth and swift backward somersault in the air, that I missed his head with one inch or one-two narrow seconds.

And right after that, while I rolled around in the air for one more time, I pulled my arms up to the air and next to each others and my katanas in my paws as well, until I placed my katanas blades into the X-position that their outer edges were inside as I prepared for my next fatal attack against Shen.

And as I was about to land on my feet to the ground, at the same time as Lord Shen was about to land on his feet to the ground as well, I straightened my right leg forward and bent my left leg in the opposite direction and I also pulled my paws and into X-position placed katanas backwards, next to my left side, as I was about to perform the same double-strike what I usually perform and develop while destroying spiked Swinging Clubs of Instant Oblivion in the Training Hall.

And once both me and Shen were back on our feet to the jade floor of the Hall, with another furious roar I let to escape out of my mouth, I quickly pulled with my right leg (while bending it forward) and pushed with my left leg (while straightening it) myself forward and towards Lord Shen with my full physical speed, while widening the gap between of my katanas blades.

And after my body had reached to its limits and I leaned onto my bent right leg, I quickly extended my arms and in X-position placed katanas hard forwards and aiming them towards Lord Shen's neck while hoping to capture that twisted and unspeakable peacock's long neck between of my blades sharper edges so that I could remove his head off from his shoulders.

And once my katanas long blades had surrounded Shen's neck, placing my blades roots as close to Shen's neck as possible so that he has no time nor chance to get out of their way, I started to quickly spread my arms and from my katanas handles holding paws to the opposite directions in order to close the gap between of my blades around of Shen's neck.

I followed my blades movements as the gap between of their sharper edges were quickly closing around of Shen's neck... about to decapitate that twisted peacock and end his reign of terror, tyranny and blind bloodshed ONCE AND FOR ALL!

However, as my blades sharp edges were only one and half inch away from Shen's neck and very close to kill him for good this time, that twisted peacock suddenly, surprisingly and extremely narrowly dodged out of the way of my blades in the moment of finishing blow once again by spreading his legs to wide and bowing down to the ground as the gap between of my blades closed up and flied over of his head... and he had moved out of the way so quickly that I missed even his plume above of his head!

"WHATTA...?!" I loudly exclaimed once again.

I was both shocked and surprised that Lord Shen managed to move so fast - faster than what I could swing my own blades or even blink my own eyes, physically even faster than any Kung Fu warrior alive (or at least any Kung Fu warrior I know) has ever moved - out of the way of my blades before they even reached to touch fatally his neck.

I know that out of all still living Kung Fu warriors, master Shifu is the most fastest Kung Fu warrior still alive, due to his ability to move from the place to another whenever the eye avoids. And no wonder due to him being under of master Oogway's teachings. And even though the same ability in Shen's possession proved to be equal with Shifu's, it seemed to exceed even Shifu's abilities, depending on the numbers of years of hard and endless training.

But this... this was completely different situation, because Shen's movements didn't resemble the movements of Kung Fu or they even weren't the movements of Kung Fu at all... just like the movements of the martial art his wolves possessed. it made me wonder whether these movements are from some forbidden martial arts or whether Shen has developed a whole new kind of martial art since his supposed demise.

However, before I could wonder this mystery of this a new kind of martial arts any further, my eyes met and were locked with Lord Shen's blood-red eyes.

"Too slow, little kitten." Shen deliberately taunted me with the mocking yet evil wide grin on his beak.

That accursed peacock triggered my burning rage again, and this time by calling me "little kitten" in the mocking tone of voice. I really hated when my opponents filled with underestimating and taunting attitude and lots of arrogance ended up to taunt me by calling me with that annoying nickname with a mocking tone.

Letting out the roar-like growl, I answered to that mocking nickname by attacking at lord Shen as a revenge for both calling me a "little kitten" and for what he had done to Po

I attempted to kill him by pulling my swords back to me at the same time while I charged towards that villainous peacock, lifted both of them up and above of my head before I pulled both of them at the same time in the straight arches hard downwards and towards him. But as my strike was about to land onto him fatally, that boasting bird merely and calmly placed his wings behind of his back and jumped backwards and out of the way of my blades, and I ended up to hit the mere empty air in the spot where he stood a seconds ago, as I landed my swords blades hard against the jade floor of the hall that the sparks flew everywhere from the impact.

I pulled my swords back and attempted then to stab him into his head with my right paw's sword by pulling it backwards and then hard forward and directly towards him, only to miss him again when Shen dodged my attack again by leaning his head to his left...

...which prompted me to swing my swords alternately, first my right paw's blade and then my left paw's, to my right side in hope to decapitate Lord Shen even with either lateral swing to the right, only to miss him again as Shen leaned his entire body sharply to the left and extended his right leg to his right, before he smoothly, calmly and keeping both his wings behind of his back and his evil grin on his beak as he swung himself around to his right beneath of my to MY right swinging blades.

I tried then another way, as Shen was about to turn towards me again. This time, I spun myself to the right and lifted my right leg up, coiling it beneath of me as I rolled around on my left leg. And after one roll around, I leaned my upper body to the opposite side with my leg, twisted my hips, recoiled my right leg, until I extended it directly towards Shen's faces as he completely turned to my direction and on the way of my direct kick.

I hoped that my kick would send Shen for a moment into dizzy state, so that he would be easy target for me now.

However, Shen was once again faster than I and grabbed with his talons from my leg, stopping my kick-attack completely like into the wall.

And in order to lower my body's physical tension, Shen sadistically dug his talons claws deep into my leg, causing me to lift my head upwards by instincts and let the loud roar in pain out of my mouth. And at the same time I dropped my swords from my paws and I also lost majority of my body's tension, turning me briefly into partially limp like the practice dummy.

And right after that, Shen pulled my leg down and pinned it to the jade floor, after which he moved swiftly - too swiftly that he left me no time to react to it, and partially thanks for that to the stinging claw marks in my right leg - to my right side and behind of my back and right shoulder.

As peeked over of my right shoulder as I followed him with my eyes, I also saw briefly Shen to swung himself swiftly around to his right, until I eventually felt Shen's tall and massive tail to pull my feet forward and off beneath of me, tripping me and causing me to fall roughly on my back to the jade floor, where I remained to lie, stunned from such of dirty trick from that peacock.

And once I was on the ground, Shen bounced up into the air and in mid of his arching flight over me, he spun himself to his right and turning around to face me again, and this time from from the air. And once doing so, Shen proceed to spread his tail into wide to slow down his arching flight as he was above of me.

And during of that, Shen immediately swung both of his wings to the opposite sides and quickly exposed out from under of both of his sleeves two pairs of those blades he showed us earlier. However, though the blades kept their usual flame-like serpentine shapes, this time the blades were slightly curved like upright crescents with still upwards pointing tips and they were attached with each others from their bases that they formed a narrow and curved U-formation, and the blades themselves had a long and from bamboo made extended staves beneath of the blades, which he had took into his wings and merged their blunt ends together, creating from them a two-headed guandao.

And after he had created a new weapon from two of his blades, proceed to perform the single somersault in the air as he was about to fall down and towards me and lifted his two-headed guandao above of his own head, spun his weapon rapidly with both of his wings for a while, before he pulled his weapon hard downwards into the lethal stabbing-strike towards my stomach in attempt to kill me.

I stared this incoming with out of shock widened eyes, before I quickly pulled my legs and my lower body completely off the ground and pulled them backwards in backwards somersault style onto myself, and I remained to stand on my shoulder in the ground as one of Shen's two-headed guandao's ends blades struck hard against the jade floor, sinking its tips deep into the floor and sending the sparks into the air from the impact of jade and metal.

And once Shen, after quickly realizing that his attack had failed, pulled his weapon's blades off the ground, that allowed me some space to stand up.

And so, I bent my lower body both down- and backwards enough to make a bounce with my shoulders - during of which I grabbed my swords back to my paws. And once I pulled my legs and lower body off from above of rest of my body, I bounced off from the ground with my shoulders.

I swiftly spun around in the vertical position in the air, and once I was in the upright position again, I landed back on my feet to the ground.

However, once I was standing on my feet in the upright position again, I saw that Shen had already leaped towards me for the another attack, having lifted his two-headed guandao above of his own head, mimicking my very own move if performed to him at first, in attempt to kill me by slicing my head into three pieces.

However, out of my pure instincts, I quickly lifted my own blades above of my head and placed them into X-formation to prevent one of Shen's weapon's end's two blades from reaching to my head, as the peacock pulled his four-bladed guandao's blades hard downwards and against my blades, sending some spark into my faces from the impact of our weapons' blades.

However, I soon realize, but too late, that his attack was only a mere diversion, as Lord Shen kept his two-headed guandao's blades in order to prompt me to lift my paws and my katanas high into the air, thus leaving my guard open, right in front of Lord Shen, and leaving myself vulnerable for whatever Shen either had for me or was going to do to me!

How foolish I was to let Shen's dirty tricks and his incredibly fast movements to get to me like this, that it led to the point of leaving myself paralyzed by the shock and surprise, thus leaving me vulnerable for that twisted peacock's incoming counter-attack.

But before I even got to do anything about it, Shen took the opportunity of my confusion and off-guard status and performed his own two-three swift moves, that were even faster ones than my own, at the same time on me: First by pulling with his right straightened and pushing with his bent left leg himself towards me, partially bouncing off the ground, and swiftly lifting his coiled left leg up before he quickly straightened his leg upwards into the front-snap-kick that he directed straight towards my faces...

...and the hard impact of Shen's front-snap-kick against my faces with the peacock's full physical strength was strong enough to send me to jump upwards on my feet, during of which Shen bounced with his left leg up from the ground, making the quick backwards somersault in the while attempting to reach to the same level with my head...

...after which Shen performed the double-kick-counter move in front of my by at first bending his right wing and right leg into hook while coiling his left leg and wing to the front, which he then released and straightened forwards together, performing a straight and stone-hard kick straight against my stomach.

The strike of the kick felt like it came from warrior, that was bigger, heavier and physically stronger than me.

That reminded me about my very first opponent, that boasting big bully BOAR, whom I'd engaged to the brutal duel by the encouragement of master Oogway when he had invaded to the Valley of Peace, despite my lack of experience and the need for further training in Kung Fu, when Master Shifu had fallen into sickness and was nearly unable to fight. Though I won the battle against so called "unstoppable" Boar, merely with the help and teamwork of the rest of the Five, whose timely arrival and my friendship with them restored my troubled self-confidence back then, I still remember through of my old bruises and physic traumas (though I barely ever have traumas of anything except the total humiliating defeat) the BOAR's every heavy, stone-hard and bone-crushing punch against my arms, each of my sides, my faces and my stomach when I attempted to defeat him on my own and I lost... and nearly died.

And Shen's kick definitely matched the Boar's punch strikes.

Even though I'm now more capable to tolerant most of the pain from the stone-hard impact of Shen's new kick against my stomach due to my physical tolerance against the physical pain, Shen's kick still somehow caused me to let out the loud gasp out of the slight pain nonetheless, and the hard impact against my stomach also caused me to bow my upper body and head down from the pain...

...which Shen used as a advantage and right after the double-kick-counter's first phase, Shen executed the move's second phase on me by performing the rapid barrel roll directed to his left side in the air, before Shen then lifted his right leg upwards and directed his leg with the very high speed into the lateral stone-hard kick straight onto the left side of my faces...

...and the hard impact of Shen's kick against my left cheek forcibly burst some spit out of my mouth, while scratching my faces left side with his talons metal claws in the process, before the strong impact of Shen's kick send me to fly into the air, while the impact also caused me to roll rapidly around in the air, and I flew in arch across the air space of the Hall of Heroes...

...until I, as defeated by Shen, landed onto another armor standing in the East Side of the Hall of Heroes, which was immediately knocked over to the ground after I stumbled onto it with the speed of my flight and my weight. And after the collision with another artifact of the Hall of Heroes, I remained to lay down on my stomach above of to the ground roughly overturned armor, defeated and partially knocked out.

And after one glance at the armor lying on the ground beneath of me, I realized that the armor in question happened to be the armor of Midnight Stranger, which Po had wanted to place on display in the Hall of Heroes, as a both of honor the armor's previous wearer, whoever he was, and as a remembrance of him wearing that same armor for the several nights after Constable Hu outlawed Kung Fu from Valley of Peace for momentarily. Back then, from all the rest of us, I was the only one who stood firmly against his decision to place the armor into the Hall of Heroes, because it still reminds me about the perfect humiliation Po brought upon me after I learned one night that the object of my affections back then was Po in disguise. Even though me and Po were close to each other at the present, apparently even closer than being just friends, I've never fully recovered from such of humiliation. I even demanded Po to get rid of the armor to low my sense of humiliation bot with no avail due to his sense to honor the past wearer of the armor and hero by placing his armor among of other artifacts of the Heroes, though Po shared with me a bit same feeling about the armor, as he confessed with a bit shame on himself to me that how he once messed things up with his goose father Ping, who happened to be fan of the Midnight Stranger, by accidentally destroying in Midnight Stranger's armor and name much of his father's property, including some of his Midnight Stranger fan memorabilia while stopping some bandits from robbing his Noodle restaurant. But despite that, Po wanted the Midnight Stranger's name to be both remembered and honored if the armor is placed in the Hall of Heroes, much to my dismay.

Well, right not this wasn't the moment to lament about the past humiliation.

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**

 **I HOPE THAT YOU ENJOYED READING THIS CHAPTER.**

 **NEXT TIME WILL BE VIPER'S, MANTIS', CRANE'S AND MONKEY'S TURN TO FACE LORD SHEN.**

 **IN THE NEXT TIME.**


	34. 34: Furious Five VS Lord Shen

**CHAPTER 34:** ** **FURIOUS FIVE VS. LORD SHEN****

 ** **My apology that it took so long from the last time I updated this story. Sometimes my mind happens to drift from the old work to completely new work even though the first fanfiction is still in the middle stage. However, now we can continue from where we were left the last time. This time with all Furious Five facing Lord Shen... and even with Tigress rejoining the fight after her brief defeat in the last chapter.****

 ** **ENJOY THE READING****

VIPER'S POV

After Tigress was quickly defeated and kicked aside, I saw that Shen was somewhat considering of turning his full attention from the rest of us to the pandas instead, as I saw Shen staring right to the direction of pandas with the bloodthirsty grin on his beak and vicious glare in his red eyes.

And in addition to that, Shen separated his two-headed guandao's haft in two pieces and pulled his weapons back inside of his sleeves, only to replace them with some of his long, double-edged, in the dense and bright lightning shining silver-shiny and fatally sharp feather-blades in Japanese Tessen-like formation, and the sight like this told me that Shen was obviously preparing himself to throw the volley of fast flying feather-blades at pandas with the fatal throws to kill them all with one volley.

Though pandas weren't so defenseless anymore like they were during of their last tragic encounter with Lord Shen, they weren't yet trained to dodge or block towards them flying or thrown weapons with their weapons or physical movements like me and the rest of the Furious Five were under of Shifu's teaching, thus making the pandas the most vulnerable for the throwing weapons.

We couldn't let this happen!

So we had to take action and grab to the opportunity while Shen was still considering his next move.

However, because Shen managed to defeat even Tigress with quite ease, yet Tigress was considered to be the most fiercest and highly skilled warrior of all of us five (after Po, of course), we needed to attack Shen all together at once, combine our different styled physical speed and skills of Kung Fu and give our best shots... everything what we got... to defeat Shen somehow.

"CRANE! YOU ATTACK FROM ABOVE TO SHEN'S RIGHT FLANK!" I said to Crane as I signaled to him with the tip of my tail to attack Shen from above, before I turned my head and attention to Monkey and Mantis in my right.

"MONKEY! YOU TAKE HIM FROM HIS LEFT!" MANTIS! YOU'RE WITH ME!" I added, as I launched myself forward and started to slither with the rapid pace along the jade floor of the hall and towards Lord Shen for the attack.

MONKEY'S POV

"I'M ON MY WAY!" I responded to Viper's order.

And once ordered by Viper what to do, I took the action into my own hands at first, and in the need of all my four limbs, I quickly combined my three-section-staff's sections together as the Bo-staff before I placed it to hang on my backside, after which I bounced off my feet to forward and landed on all my fours as I started my attack towards Shen's left flank.

"WINGS OF HONOR FOR PO!" I heard Crane bellowing this into the air space of the Hall, as he bounced from the ground into the air in the other side of the Hall of Heroes to gain some high and speed for his dive attack to Lord Shen from above.

"LET'S DO THIS, TOGETHER!" Viper shouted, as she bounced forward and began to slither along the Hall's jade floor with the rapid speed towards Shen!

"ALL FOR ONE AND ONE FOR ALL!" I heard Mantis shouting, as he bounced with the rapid pace towards Shen between of me and Viper.

I took the lead by bouncing onto one of the pillars - which of course was slightly damaged from our previous battle with the Leopard Paw clan's elite warriors - and I started to climb along the pillar upwards with the fast pace and I kept going up through of two jade pillars of the Hall to gain the height for my attack

And when I had reached to the perfect level of high on the third or fourth jade pillar, I bounced off from the pillar with all my strength and flew in arch through the air space of the hall before I started to fall down straight towards Lord Shen!

"BANZAI!" I let out my battle cry into the air space of the Hall, as I pulled my Bo-staff from my back into my left hand and coiled my legs beneath of myself for during the attack on that villainous peacock. During of my flight, I rapidly twirled my Bo-staff from the middle part of it in my left hand as I swung my left arm from my left to right side and above of my head, after which I grabbed with both of my hands from my staff and swung it hard and in arch downwards and towards Lord Shen.

"WINGS OF ENGAGE!" I heard Crane letting that cry out to the space of the Hall when he eventually dove from the air straight towards Shen to attack, at the same time when I lunged at him as well.

VIPER'S POV

However, while we attacked all together against Shen, something really worried me.

Lord Shen just stood there as calm and unmoved as he was then when Tigress attacked him.

He like allowing us freely to do our stuff to him; like letting Crane to come and either slice him in half or even behead him with his feather-blades, or allowing Monkey to strike him with his Bo-staff from above, with that disturbing and even ominous "be my guess" styled attitude, without even attempting to dodge Crane and Monkey's strikes nor even fight back or something.

Because Crane was in the air in his element, thus faster than what I, Mantis and Monkey were, despite the fact that Monkey had took the head start, Crane was the first to both reach and face Shen in the single combat a seconds before Monkey was about to land on his feet to the ground.

CRANE'S POV

I straightened myself into upward position in the mid-air and I spread both my wings into wide to slow down my diving flight so that I could land on my talons to the ground to meet my most hated opponent,ready for the duel against Lord Shen by preparing to use my wings feather-blades like the war-fans to slice Lord Shen in half either from his neck or his waist to end his re-triggered reign of terror once and for all!

However, once I landed to the ground and swung with all speed I had my right wing's blades towards Shen's neck, he dodged my strike by moving incredibly fast out of my strike's way when my feather-blades were only couple inch away from contact with Shen's neck.

And soon after Monkey landed next to me to the jade floor and swung his Bo-staff hard down upon Shen after he dodged my attack, Shen suddenly and extremely quickly bounced off the ground to upwards and out of Monkey's strike's way, as the end of his Bo-staff was too only one inch away from his faces.

And immediately after he made his jump, Shen spun himself to his left and around in the air, during of which he unexpectedly grabbed from my faces with his outside extended left leg's talons and with the kick-like power he tossed me to fly in the arch across the ear and aside.

I made the several backward somersaults as I flew uncontrollably through the air space of the Hall of Heroes and eventually landed hard on my back to the ground, sliding along the ground slightly further away from Shen, until I eventually stopped.

VIPER'S POV

Both me and Mantis witnessed how easily Shen disposed Crane, before he turned his attention to Monkey.

Monkey seemed to stand still before Lord Shen, visibly and badly surprised that Shen had managed to dodge his attack, even though his staff's tip was merely for one inch away from Shen's head, because of which the dodge should've been impossible.

Shen used this as his advantage, because as soon as he had dismissed Crane by extending out his left leg and swung it along with him towards Crane's faces and tossed him aside, Shen squeezed the very same leg's talons together as a fist and punched/kicked still stunned Monkey to his left cheek, snapping him out of it.

But as Monkey was about to turn to Shen's direction, he was too late to perform counter-attack as Shen extended his into hook bent right leg towards Monkey and extended his leg quickly and sharply upwards, kicking with his leg hard to Monkey's left cheek again and sending him to fly into the air, where he spun in vertical position only once before he bumped against the nearby jade pillar in upside down position, before he fell first onto his head and then fell on his right side to the jade floor.

And once Monkey was taken out, Shen landed onto the ground and turned to face us next.

"MANTIS! TOGETHER! NOW!" I shouted to Mantis as I bounced off from the ground and towards Shen

And I started after bouncing off the ground to roll myself in the lateral position in the air, just like sideways thrown shuriken, and I started to coil myself around in attempt to execute my strong whip-like kick with the tip of my tail to Lord Shen's head.

"TAKE THAT!" I shouted as I was so close enough of Lord Shen's faces on my flight, during of which I released my coils and swung my tail towards Shen's head like the green whip as fast as a lightning outside of the Jade Palace.

However, Shen suddenly bowed his head down as fast as a lightning, much to my surprise, and out of my whip-like kick with my tail, and I ended up to hit the mere empty air instead of Shen's faces as I flew over of the vicious peacock.

MANTIS'S POV

After Viper's attack failed, Shen quickly bend his left leg and straightened his right leg towards of Viper's flying direction, during of and after which he swung his left wing upwards, towards still flying Viper, and unleashed the rope dart from under of his sleeve, which loose end coiled around of Viper's neck, causing her to let out the throaty gasp after Shen pulled the rope backwards to tighten it around of her neck as Shen pulled Viper herself backwards and back to him from the rope.

After which, Shen then bounced with his left leg onto his right one, during of which he swiftly spun himself to his right, twisting his left hip and lifting it up and coiling his left leg before he extended it as a straight kick against Viper's back, causing Viper to let out the gasp out of pain from the kick's, and possibly Shen's talons claws, impact against her back, which also send her to fly in the arch against the jade floor of the hall after Shen had loosened and removed his rope dart from around of Viper's throat before the kick and pulled it back under of his left wing's sleeve.

I had to help her, so I bounced off the ground myself and lunged towards Shen, I attempted to perform the double-kick-counter by coiling my left side's limbs into hook and straightening my right legs forward for the kick-strike against Shen.

However, Shen was like he sensed my incoming to attack.

And after Shen had turned to face me before my own attack got into impact with him, he took two handfuls of something out from inside of his robe and tossed it towards me, after which the vicious peacock then spread his wings to wide (his left wing upwards and right one to down) until he swiftly swung them from side to side at the same time, and before his wings crossed in front of him, he shot out from under of his sleeves two of his feather blades, one of which was in vertical position and the second one was in lateral position, sending them to fly directly pass of me.

However, his blades crossed with each others in the very same spot, that was in middle of that stuff what Shen had just threw at me. The blades' smooth, narrow and extremely sharp edged managed to rub against each other...

...and the impact of the blades edges created the sparks and sent them to fly all around within that staff in front of me - actually nearly all around of me - and that strange stuff suddenly and unexpectedly started to ignite and behave like the small explosives.

That stuff exploded rapidly and repeatedly in front of my vision, that it blinded my eyes! And the explosions prompted me out of my instincts to close my eyes and forced me to break from my attacking position and cover my eyes with my claws.

VIPER'S POV

While I recovered from Shen's kick to my back, I witnessed everything of the short duel between Shen and Mantis.

Including the moment, when he threw that stuff onto Mantis and ignited it to rapidly and brightly explode with the sparks from the impact of his against each others in the mid-air crossing feather-blades, while Mantis himself was in the middle of that into the air thrown stuff.

"That black explosive material he used in his fire-breathing and metal-spitting weapons!" I whispered as I realized that what Shen actually tossed onto Mantis.

That sensitively and igniting, yet rapidly sparking stuff quickly surrounded Mantis and the sparks caused him to break from his battle position in the mid-flight and to cover his eyes with his claws. And because of which, Mantis thumped to the ground.

And when Mantis rose up on his feet, he still kept his eyes tightly shut and covered by his claws. The bright explosions of that stuff he tossed upon of Mantis had probably caused his vision to become blur, as when he attempted to open his eyes, his eyelids almost immediately started to rapidly flap from open to close and so on as an attempt to make his sight clear.

I managed to see a glimpse of his eyes, and I gasped in the shock as I saw them as pale yellow and his irises as pale red. They looked just like the consequences of that Golden Lotus Clap.

But how could that be possible?! Shen didn't even perform - or does he even know - that technique after tossing that exploding stuff onto Mantis.

"MY... MY EYES! I CAN'T SEE! I CAN'T SEE! I'M BLIND!" He cried, as he looked rapidly all over of him to see something and stretched his claws forward to feel something as he blindly wandered around of the spot he had landed.

Whatever that was, I just hoped that his sight had not permanently damaged!

However, Mantis was now vulnerable to Shen, as he slowly but threateningly approached him.

"OUT OF MY WAY, BUG!" Shen said as he stretched out his left leg forward and opened his talons to wide to grab to Mantis.

Mantis of course sensed Shen's presence by hearing his threatening voice and turning towards its direction, but he was too late to do anything before Shen's talons swiftly wrapped tightly around of him and pulled him back to him.

And after that, that evil peacock swiftly spun himself to his left, lifted up and swung his left leg and Mantis along with it around of himself and to upwards, until he eventually released the grip of his talons from around of Mantis and threw him aside like the rag doll.

I followed with my eyes Mantis flight across the air space of Hall of heroes, before he landed roughly to the jade floor.

And after which, my attention turned back to Shen, as he turned his own attention from everyone to Po and the rest of the pandas in the corner of the hall, most likely intending ti attack them again.

I looked to the both right and left sides of Lord Shen, seeing that Monkey, Tigress and Crane were starting to recover from Shen's counter-attacks against them.

Even though Shen had managed to fend off Monkey, Crane, Me and Mantis nearly all at the same time with apparent ease, we had to do something to keep him from approaching pandas so that he could kill them.

We needed to take action and grab to the opportunity while Shen's full attention was once again in the pandas... but rather long before he could actually perform his next and presumably fatal move against pandas.

Ans so, I was the first one to repeat my attack on Shen by slithering with the rapid pace towards him.

MONKEY'S POV

"RESUME YOUR ATTACKS! NOW!" I heard Viper shouting, which caught my attention and I turned to its direction to see that what was going on.

I saw Viper slithering with the rapid speed along the jade floor of the hall to attack approaching Shen from behind.

Eventually, Viper bounced off the ground and flew with the high speed across the air and towards Shen, coiling herself around like in the sideways position to the flight thrown shuriken to repeat her tail-attack on Shen one more time.

However, Shen apparently sensed that to be incoming and get within minutes prepared for it.

And as Viper swung her tail into whipping kick to the back of Shen's head, Shen quickly bowed down out of the way of Viper's attack. But right after that, Shen lifted one of his legs, his left one, in the arch and with the rapid speed upwards to the air and towards about over of himself flying Viper and quickly. Shen managed to reach and wrap his legs clawed talons around of Viper's body, from near of her throat, into the firm grip, after which Shen bounced with his right leg off the ground into the air.

And after which, Shen made a few lateral barrel rolls in the air, first some straight ones and then sideways ones, with Viper in the firm grip of his talons. And soon after, Shen eventually straightened himself and landed on his feet to the ground, pinning during of the process Viper against the jade floor with his legs talons and his own weight.

"Little worm!" Shen said as he looked down at Viper pinned against the ground and under of the talons of his legs, before Shen then moved his left leg over of Viper's neck and tightened his talons around of Viper's throat into choking grip, before he even straightened his leg - and along of which Viper's head as well - forward while keeping the rest of Viper's body pinned down with his right leg and with his weight, torturing Viper even more by violently stretching her body beyond of its limits than just choking her to death.

"(Cough!) (Cough!) SOMEBODY! (Cough!) (Cough!) HELP!" I head poor Viper calling with the throaty sound for help from me between of coughing due to being both choked and violently straightened.

We had to do something!

"GUYS! YOU HEARD VIPER! C'MON!" I bellowed into the air space of the hall so loud that Tigress and Crane, whom were at the end of their recovering, could hear me, before I myself hurriedly got up on my feet, grabbed to my staff and picked it up from the ground. And then, I lunged towards Shen to attack.

"HANG ON, VIPER, I COMING FOR YOU!" I bellowed to Viper's and Shen's direction and I ran towards them on all my fours.

"WINGS OF COUNTER-ATTACK!" I heard Crane bellowing into the air space of the Hall as well, as he bounced up from the ground into the air and opened his wings to wide, preparing for the dive flight towards Shen.

"ROAR!" I heard Tigress angrily roaring at Shen's direction, as she leaped onto all fours and rushed beside of me to face that twisted peacock!

I attacked Shen first, by bouncing off the ground up into the air to perform the aerial attack on Shen, while lifting my staff above of my head and spinning it with the rapid speed, as I prepared to swung it down and hard in attempt to hit with it to Lord Shen.

TIGRESS POV

After I had picked my katanas off the ground and put them back to my sheaths to wait to be used, I charged towards Shen on all fours, eager to fight that devilish peacock and dig my from my finger tips stretched out claws into Shen's flesh, while I followed Monkey's proceed.

However, we never managed to get him by surprise which we already suspected, as Shen eventually turned his full attention and focus from Viper into facing all three of us at the same time, though he still kept Viper in the firm stranglehold of his talons and her body violently stretched out.

And as he did so, Shen merely grinned viciously at us before taking his typical peacock-styled battle position - with his legs spread wide, his left wing moved to the right and behind of his neck and his right wing stretched out to behind of him - and almost immediately after that he revealed from under of his sleeves a three long silver-shiny blades that were all wide, to the tips narrowing and the flame-shaped, and which reflected the deathly bright light from the lightning after he revealed them.

Monkey attacked him first by bouncing off the ground and flying in arch across the air space between of him and Shen. Monkey also lifted his staff above of his head and began to rapidly spin his weapon with both of his hands from the middle part of its haft. And in the mid of his flight, Monkey bent his legs beneath of him before he started to fall towards Shen. And during of his fall, Monkey grabbed from one of his staff's ends with both of his hand, and while crying his battle-cry to the air space of the Hall, Monkey swung the staff hard downwards to hit Shen with it.

As Monkey's staff's another end was about to hit to Shen as Monkey was about to land on his feet straight in front of him, Shen suddenly made his swift counter-attack by swinging his left wing's blades in the arch upwards towards Monkey's staff. And with the flat sides if the blades, Shen knocked Monkey's staff off from its flight to aside, forcing Monkey to pull back from his attack and grab with both hands from the staff's middle part. However, before Monkey could do anything else, Shen suddenly swung his right wing in the arch from down to upwards and towards Monkey's staff - this time with the blades sharp edges - and smoothly sliced the staff's stalk's middle part in between of Monkey's hands into pieces.

Such of attack left Monkey both shocked, dumbfounded and defenseless, as he locked his focus on the remaining pieces of his staff in his hands with disbelief.

Shen quickly grabbed from opportunity and bounced into the air in front of Monkey. Shen spun himself around to his left, slapping hard with his tail Monkey to his left cheek to make him dizzy and used that as his advantage. That villainous peacock then delivered the hard and direct kick with his left leg to Monkey's face. And with the groan in pain, the kick got Monkey to release his grip from the remains of his staff and sent him to fly hard aside and he landed roughly on his stomach to the ground after backward somersault.

After Monkey was taken down again, after which Shen swiftly pulled his blades back inside of his sleeves and grabbed to the parts of Monkey's former staff, it was my turn to attack to Shen.

I bounced off the ground into the air with all fours, letting out another furious roar to echo in the air space of the Hall, before grabbed into the handles of my katanas and draw them out - letting their blades to glow in the bright light of the next lightning - as I fell back downwards and towards Shen.

That accursed peacock almost immediately detected me, but rather surprised, Shen merely gave me his evil grin on his beak. And with that, pulling his wings backwards and starting to spin Monkey's staff's remains rapidly in his wings, Shen made his move swiftly and spun himself around from Monkey's direction to mine, ready to face me.

In near the end of my flight, I bent my spine and my legs in the arch backwards, that I kinda resembled a living crescent in the air space of the Hall of Heroes, and during of which I pulled my katanas over and behind of my head, ready to pull them back forward and downward on Shen.

I eventually I eventually straightened myself and at the same time pulled my swords hard down on Shen, who immediately quit spinning the parts of Monkey's staff in his wings, lunged forward and pulled his wings and the staff's remains swiftly forward and directly towards my in the arch downwards flying katanas blades.

And when our weapons glanced together after I landed on my feet in front of Shen, my katanas' outer edges landed onto the Monkey's staff's separated parts' ends. And in my paws and with the high strength, my weapons blades sunk hard into the parts' wood, slicing them smoothly always to the half's middle central where they stopped.

I locked my eyes with Shen's own and growled at that villainous monster as we both engaged each other to the deadly staring duel. And while scowling at each other, we both struggled with our with each others connected weapons... hardening our grips in the handles of the weapons and tensing our arms nearly as hard as a rock... and we even bend our weapons alternately from side to side in attempt to twist our wrist and thus disarm each other.

However, Shen suddenly gave me a mocking wink with his left eye, revealing to me that his intention was never engage me into the staring duel nor attempted to disarm me. And then, completely unexpectedly to me and far too quickly for me to counter it, Shen lifted up and coiled his left leg after twisting his left hip, and then he stretched it out to the swift but hard kick directed to my stomach, nearly knocking the all air out of me and causing my legs nearly go limp and my stomach ached like it was in fire.

And right after that, Shen suddenly spun himself hard to his left and pulled his wings and Monkey's staff's severed parts along with him. And due to me having forgotten that my katanas blades were stuck in between of narrow and tight space between of sliced parts of Monkey's staff's severed parts, he pulled me off the ground with them and swung me violently around of himself for once.

And after one round around of Shen, the rapid speed of my flight got my katanas' blades swiftly came off from the staff's severed parts and Shen threw me to fly sideways across the air space of the Hall of Heroes, until I landed onto the Jade floor. And once I had landed onto the ground, I roughly rolled sideways along the jade floor further away from Shen, while losing my grasp of my swords in the process. I kept rolling along the jade floor for a while, until the rolling finally stopped as I bumped hard and my back ahead against the fallen jade pillar, that lied across the floor of the Hall. I let out the mixture of the loud roar and the cry of pain from the painful impact against the pillar before I fell on my stomach beside the pillar, and I remained to lie there in pain and half-conscious as I probably hit my head hard against the pillar at the same time as I bumped against it.

CRANE'S POV

While Tigress and Monkey were dueling Shen and were almost instantly defeated by the peacock, I bounced up from the ground into the air and I opened my wings to wide, preparing for the dive flight towards Shen.

"WINGS OF COUNTER-ATTACK!" I bellowed before I pressed my wings against myself and dove across the air space of the Hall towards Shen to attack him.

I kept myself in the dive mode for a while to gain speed to reach to Shen in order to execute my attack on him swiftly and quickly before he would detect me and prepare to counter my attack with some short of trick again.

Eventually, I straightened myself into upward position in the mid-air and, though this time I leaned my upper body backwards and my legs forwards as I prepared to land on my talons to the ground. And as I prepared myself for the second round against Shen, this time I didn't spread my wings to wide to slow me down at all, but I instead slowly but certainly lifting my wings above of my head and placing them into X-position, preparing to slice Lord Shen in half from his waist or cut off his head from the basement of his neck!

And as I landed on my feet to the ground, and right in front of him, I pulled myself forward with my legs and moved my into X-positioned wings to front of me, and I eventually swung my wings and my feather-blades in the arches from side to side.

However, I realized too late that Shen had already detected me, as he soon after defeating Tigress turned to face me next, locking his shivers-giving blood-red eyes in mine and giving me his evil grin while throwing away Monkey's staff's destroyed remains. Shen also pulled out the ends of his guandao out of his sleeves and connected them together, arming himself once again with the double-ended guandao with two curved blades shaped into U in both ends.

And so, before I could capture his waist or his neck in between of my wings' blades, he dodged my attack once again with the smooth and swift jump and backward somersault in the air. And I ended up swinging my feather-blades against the empty air... even missing his legs with the mere inch!

I lifted my head up to see Shen making extremely rapid somersaults in the air above of me, that his peacock tail made him to look like the white ball rolling in the air, except that it had two different-colored lines around of him rolling the somersaults along with him. One lime green, which was poor Viper and one in the lighting shining silver, which was his Shen's double-ended guandao.

Suddenly, Shen stopped somersaulting in the air but quickly swung with his left leg Viper's tail towards me. And I happened to leave my guard open due to Shen's surprising move out of the way of my attack, and quickly whipped with Viper's tail my faces one time. The sharp strike from Viper's whipping tail to my face caused me to let out the loud groan in pain out of my beak and forcing me to back off for a couple steps, while lifting by instincts my wings over of my faces after Shen whipped then with the nasty strike from Viper's tail.

"Forgive me for that, Crane! I'm so sorr- LOOK OUT!" I heard Viper's apology turning into haste warning cry.

Luckily Viper's whipping tail had missed my eyes, though the pain in my faces and the sore line of bruise from Viper's tail still made my sight a bit blurry.

However, after hearing Viper's haste warning cry, I lifted my head up to see Shen

And when I turned to look up, I noticed, much to my shock, Lord Shen's - and Viper's - silhouette against the bright flashes of dense lightning from outside as he was falling down from the air and right towards me, having lifted his double-ended guandao above of himself - and he spun his pole weapon above of himself so rabidly that its in the flashes of lightning shining curved blades visibly formed the ring above of himself before swung his weapon had downwards on me with intend to split me in half.

"WOW! WINGS OF SURPRISE, INSTINCTS AND A QUICK REFLEXES!" I let out the haste cry as I hastily - and out of instincts - lifted my wings over myself to form the shield with my own feather-blades to block Shen's attempted strike on me.

However, Shen's strike came so hard against my blades that it knocked me off my legs when one of the guandao's curved blades edges landed onto my weapons. Such of strike violently struck me on my back against the ground and it caused me to open my shield and spread my swings, thus exposing me for any lethal strike for the moment.

"GET UP, CRANE! GET UP! HE'S COMING!" I heard Viper's encouraging words!

"SILENCE, WORM!" I heard Shen threatening Viper.

Luckily such of hard landing on my back to the jade floor had not struck all the air out of my lungs in order to keep me in the ground. So, after I called and gathered together some amount of strength in me, I bounced up into the sitting position.

"HANG ON, VIPER, I'm COMING FOR YOU!" I said to Viper with a tired but strong-minded tone of voice as I kept climbing up. **  
**

When I finally managed to get back on my feet and turned my gaze at him again, I noticed that Shen had once again bounced into the air with the support of his guandao after giving me the hard strike against my weather-blades.

The villainous peacock had spun himself around in the air, after which he swiftly spread his peacock-tail to wide and swung both of his wings in the lateral swings from left to right, tossing from under of his sleeves the volley of dozens of shurikens - the extremely and fatally sharp-edged throwing stars, which were made off from four twin-ended and double-edged feather-blades, that were by their length as long as the Shen's regular feather-blades and which were attached to each others into the form of the star from the middle parts of the blades - to fly in the lateral positions and with the high speed through the air and directly towards me.

That attack provoked me to by instincts lift my wings up and form from my feather-blades the shield again in front of me against Shen's throwing stars.

And as the rapidly spinning throwing stars made the impact against my as the shield formed feather-blades, they felt like the rain of head-sized boulders thrown at me as they pushed me backwards with each impact against my shield. And along with that, Shen's shurikens' sharp edges or tips impacts against my blades' flat sides also caused so sharp and sickly scratching sounds that they sent the shivers down along of my spine.

When the rain of shurikens stopped raining against my shield of my weather-blades, after which I dared to lower my shield down a little bit, I saw Shen coming down for me yet again, repeating his previous attack-technique on me with his guandao.

But even though I managed in time to block Shen's guandao's straight strike with my wings feather-blades, it strangely felt half lighter strike unlike the first one. However, it was soon revealed that Shen's first attack was nothing more than the mere distraction, because as soon as the strike came and landed onto my weather-blades, Shen made the backward somersault to land on his feet to the ground and attempted to stab me fatally with the tips of both curved blades of his guandao from beneath of my defense.

However, thanks to the flash of a new lightning's that revealed Shen's current location and actions via his shadow on the jade floor, I spotted this coming and intentions in time and I quickly broke my defense to move to the right and out of the way of incoming blade to avoid getting fatally stabbed to the stomach by Shen's weapon.

Angered by his failed attempt to kill me, Shen furiously and viciously attacked me with his peacock-styled skills of Kung Fu, starting by constantly lunging at Crane while rapidly, violently and repeatedly swinging his guandao's both ends' curved blades from the side to another, from down to upwards and from up to downwards like the ax, directing his weapon's flame-shaped blades straight at me and attempted numerous times the straight stabbing-attacks on him as well.

While battling him, I saw that Shen was violently shaking Viper like the rag doll in the grasp of his talons along with his own moves, as his continuous spinning around, bounces in the ground, swift kick-like movements and landings to the ground made her battered and bruised to look that she wasn't feeling so fell.

Shen's violent attacks forced me to back off, and no matter how hard I tried to defend myself by blocking his attacks - which were as hard as with all weight falling elephant - with my weather-blades, no matter how I tried to physically dodge some of his vertical and lateral attacks - though the rest of the Furious Five are far more better in it, as I mastered only wrist-twist technique as my self-defense that fits only to the ground-level in my style of Kung Fu **-** and no matter how many times I tried to get into the flight to get away from him, Shen's furious and swift attacks with guandao prevented every my every attempt and mostly kept me at bay by force.

"NO MORE GAMES!" Shen bellowed as the villainous peacock then spun spun himself to his right, spinning his guandao with both of his wings around of himself, before he grabbed from its haft with both wings and ran it beneath of his right wing and towards my stomach yet again.

By instinct's, I lifted my feather-blades into the shield in front of me again. However, As the sharp tips of his guandao's curved blades touched my shield, the impact felt like ten stone-hard punches as he impact pushed through of my shield to my stomach with full power. This time, striking all the air out of my lungs, and the lack of breath and the immense pain were too much for me that I closed my eyes and was about to fall off my feet on my back to the ground.

However, I then felt something to rapidly coil three times around of my neck before it went into the knot, which was followed by somebody squeezing the coils tight around of my neck that it caused me to let out the throaty gasp.

After I lifted my head up, I saw that Shen had swung Viper's whipping tail yet again towards me and had this time wrapped her herself around of my neck.

"I'm sorry for this, Crane." I heard Viper apologizing this from me,

And with the painfully squeezing pull of Viper, Shen pulled me off my feet and pulled me around of himself for twice.

"You have outlived your usefulness for me, worm." I heard Shen saying sadistically to Viper while swinging me around of himself for three times.

I also saw him pulling out from under of his free wing's sleeves a three feather-blades, which he without remorse nor hesitation swung in sideways towards viper's head, knocking her head backwards as she let out the gasping cry of pain, revealing a three cuts on her neck from Shen's feather-blades tips.

"VIPER!" I cried with the throaty voice, as even though Shen had just recently murdered Viper, her tail was still coiled in tight squeezed knot around of my neck.

And in fifth time when Shen swung me around of himself, he eventually released his talons grip from around of Viper's body, but not before sending me to fly my head ahead hard against one of the pillar, that knocked me totally out.

TIGRESS' POV

I couldn't watch anymore how Shen battered my friends in their desperate attempt to stop Shen from reaching the pandas.

And I couldn't definitely watch from aside how Shen would most likely slaughter the pandas, even though Li Shan, Dim, Sum, Mei Mei and even little Bao had already got ready to face Shen in the combat to avenge all the slaughtered ones of their kinds during of Shen's extermination of pandas... even though the our defeat should have at least to make them stand down from the fight.

However, they never did... and Shen, after defeating the entire Furious Five save for me, was approached them threateningly.

I had to stop him somehow, even though any resistance against Shen seems to be a futile I've already got beaten twice by him. But because of our panda friends' lives and would-be-desecrated honor of Jade Mountain, Jade Palace and Oogway's legacy were in grave danger, I had to do something or die trying.

And I would rather die for pandas' lives, Po's life, Oogway's legacy and Jade Palace... so it was now or never!

With a new wind, I quickly jumped up on my all fours and letting my feral rage to ran through of my body, I turned towards the villainous peacock and charged towards him on my all fours instead of leaping across the air to get him.

"SHEN!" I roared, before letting out even louder and in the air space of the Hall echoing roar as I lunged at Shen on all fours.

However, like during the previous failed attacks of mine, Shen didn't jumped out of surprise at the sight of me as I charged towards him.

"Ya wanna to be reminded again that I'm unstoppable, slow kitten?" Shen asked from me tauntingly, raising up my anger nearly to the highest level ever, as that devilish peacock tossed his guandao into Heilang's hands to wait for further use before pulling out from under of his sleeves two long flame-shaped serpentine blades with his Symbol in the bases of the blades and prepared himself for the duel with me.

I picked up my katanas from the ground and lunged at Shen, swinging my blades over my head before pulling them hard down on Shen, who swiftly lifted his dual blades above of himself and pulled them in X-position, blocked my own swords like to the wall. The hard impact against of each others' blades caused some sparks to fly around, but neither of us even cared of them.

I moved over of Shen and I tried to pin the evil peacock down to the ground by pressing my katanas downwards on him with my weight and with all my strength while Shen slowly but certainly moved his own dual blades upwards along my own swords, not even showing any sight of hard struggling against my katanas. The sound of against each others scratching sharp edges of our blades were sharp and almost deafening and it caused even more sparks to fly into our fur and weathers, but we two cared nothing of it.

We both had locked our eyes with each others again while doing what we were going to do: I glared down at Shen with my narrowed eyes full of burning blind fury, with my ears pressed against the back of my skull, with my every hair having straightened upwards, with my tail swinging restlessly from side to another, and all while growling at him like some kind of feral bloodthirsty animal. And Shen nothing more than grinned at me sadistically and mockingly while glaring straight into my eyes with his blood-red eyes, torturing me with mental descriptions of the horrible things he was planning to do with every last panda in the Hall, and they even worsened in the cases of little Lei Lei and Po, turning into even more violent, bloody, horrifying, torturing and even traumatizing, which increasing my rage even further.

However, I realized too late that all of that was a distraction - though I'm sure that Shen really intents to do those horrible things nonetheless - because as soon as Shen's dual blades blocked the hostile contact between of our eyes, Shen suddenly pushed me strongly backwards with his dual blades while pulling them to the opposite sides that the rubbing contact between of our moving blades caused a lot of sparks to fly into my faces, bothering my eye sight burning painfully, blinding me temporarily and forcing me back.

Shen off course used this as his advantage, as he swung his dual blades from side to side and towards me twice. With this move, Shen sliced with the tips of both blades to the outer side of my left thigh as he swung his wings in X-position before pulling them back to their own sides, but not before slashing two long and clean superficial wound to my left side beneath of the left arm pit.

I roared in pain after feeling Shen's blades cutting my flesh once again, and the cuts in my left thigh and left side nearly got me to fall on one of my feet, but I ignored the pain and fought it back.

Completely ignoring the pain of my cuts, thanks to my burning ire and lust to kill Shen, and once the sparks didn't bother my sight that much anymore, I let out another furious roar to echo in the Hall and lunged at Shen.

I targeted my every following strike in sideways towards Shen's neck in hope to either open his throat to decapitate him. However, he swiftly dodged my first sideways swing with my left paw's katana by bowing out of the way once again with a mere inches from my blade before moving with one step of his right leg. I immediately swung both of my katanas alternately in sideways towards Shen's neck, only for Shen to dodge my second and with the left paw's katana repeated strike by stepping back with his left leg this time. And with the third time when I swung my right paw's katana in sideways towards Shen's neck, Shen dodged this one as well by moving his right leg forward and bowing out of my blade's way.

And once we had turned our backs into each other, Shen lifted his left leg up, recoiled it and extended it into the kick against my back - during of which he clawed my back with his iron claws in his talons - before sending me to fly painfully against the nearby pillar with my face ahead.

Though the strike against my head was hard and left me partially dizzy, I was still largely aware of what was happening around me. Including seeing through the corner of my left eye after turning my head a little bit to the left that Shen had actually tossed both of his blades from his wings to fly directly at my back in hope to fatally spear me with them.

I reacted to this by bouncing up quickly, narrowly avoiding being fatally stabbed and nailed against the jade pillar as Shen's blades "literally" sunk into the pillar and came out in the other side of the pillar, while I performed the barrel roll and backward somersault in the air so that I could land onto my feet to the ground that I could face Shen once again.

And once I did, I charged at him, growling out of burning anger and out of frustration due to my failed attempts to defeat him.

However, Shen suddenly pulled his blades back inside of his sleeves and pulled outside of them instead the chain-hammers with the short length of chains, which he began to spin rapidly in the air while waiting for me with "Bring it on!" expression on his face and attitude.

And as I approached Shen, the villainous peacock suddenly spun around and swung the chain-hammers along with his speed, until he with swift pulls of his wings swung both hammers to strike me to my stomach with the force of ten kicks. Such of strike struck nearly all air out of my lungs and the massive wave of pain that ran through of my body caused me to go entirely limp and I fell on my knees to the ground and holding with my arms my upper body above of the ground, where I remained heavily panting and coughing for breath.

However, Shen used this as his advantage by turning to his left and spinning himself once again round, during of which he pulled his chain-hammers back inside of his sleeves and replaced them with three long feather-blades, before he with the sadistic smirk swung his left wing's feather-blades in the arch from down to upwards and towards my faces.

I let out the loud roaring-like meow from the pain I felt in the left side of my faces as the tips of Shen's feather blades cut the flesh of my faces and violently tossed me off the ground and fly backwards in arch across the air!

"STRIPEY BABY!" I heard little Lei Lei's horrified cry, as I landed nearly pass of the pandas and landed on my back to the ground, next to the horrified pandas and Master Shifu.

The extreme exhaustion, lack of air in my lungs and the burning pain all over of my body - especially in the left side of my faces - were all together too much even for me to bear, that my thoughts went to blank and my eye sight went even more blurry as I started to faint.

The last blurry images I saw before my eyes before they closed were horrified Lei Lei, Grandma Panda and Master Shifu, whom had all immediately rushed to my side to check my condition.

Before I passed out, I felt the single tear escaping from the corner of my eye... and it was the tear of shame for ending up constantly getting beaten by Shen in front of the pandas and my father... and in deep fear for the pandas' lives, as Shen apparent to be even on his own far too powerful against all of us, and for that that now I, Po, and none of the Furious Five were able to defend the pandas from Shen anymore.

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**

 **I HOPE THAT YOU ENJOYED READING THIS CHAPTER.**

 **NEXT TIME, I'M GONNA PUT LI SHANG, DIM & SUM AND MEI MEI AGAINST LORD SHEN.  
**

 **SEE YA IN THE NEXT TIME.**


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